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Biomedical subjects

L T Miller

Publications and source records attributed to L T Miller.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy in children: treatment with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation.

During the past 6 years, ten children with reflex sympathetic dystrophy were treated. Pain in an extremity was the initial complaint in all patients. The pain was unilateral in 90% of the patients; upper and lower extremities were affected with equal frequency. Tenderness to palpation, extreme hyperesthesia, and dysesthesia were other dominant features. All patients had some evidence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in the affected extremity (swelling, color change, decreased temperature, and/or hyperhidrosis). The median duration of symptoms prior to referral and diagnosis was 5 months. All children were treated as outpatients with a transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator and home-based physical therapy. With this regimen, seven patients had complete remission within 2 months. Two other patients improved with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation therapy, and one patient had no response to transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is frequently underdiagnosed in children. Increased awareness of this syndrome is important because accurate diagnosis is crucial and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation offers a safe, simple, and effective outpatient therapy for reflex sympathetic dystrophy in children.

Adolescent↗

Pyridoxine supplementation: effect on lymphocyte responses in elderly persons.

The effect of pyridoxine supplementation on lymphocyte responsiveness was investigated in 15 persons aged 65-81 y. Eleven subjects received 50 mg/d pyridoxine HCl (PN). Four subjects received a placebo. Lymphocyte proliferation to T and B cell mitogens, lymphocyte subpopulations with monoclonal antibodies, and plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) were measured before and after 1 and 2 mo of supplementation. After 1 and 2 mo plasma PLP levels increased by 195 +/- 88 nM and 201 +/- 84 nM, respectively, in subjects receiving PN. With PN supplementation, lymphocyte proliferation increased significantly in response to phytohemagglutinin (p less than 0.01), pokeweed mitogen (p less than 0.01), and Staphylococcus aureus (Cowain I) (p less than 0.05). For PN-treated subjects with low presupplement plasma PLP levels, lymphocyte blastogenesis also increased significantly (p less than 0.01) in response to concanavalin A. Percentages of T3+ and T4+ but not T8+ cells increased significantly (p less than 0.05) in PN-treated subjects. These results suggest that improving vitamin B-6 status is important in stimulating immunocompetence in the elderly.

Aged↗

Effect of dietary egg on variability of plasma cholesterol levels and lipoprotein cholesterol.

The effects of dietary cholesterol on plasma cholesterol levels, its distribution among lipoproteins, and apoproteins of high-density lipoprotein subclasses in individuals who did and did not demonstrate response in plasma cholesterol levels were studied in 21 healthy middle-aged men for 3 mo. After consumption of 3 eggs/day in addition to their habitual diets for 28 days, 21 subjects were divided into 8 hyper- and 13 hypo-responders. The average plasma cholesterol level of the 21 subjects was changed from 188 +/- 36 to 199 +/- 36 mg/100 ml over the 28-day classification period. During the same period the mean plasma cholesterol level of the hyper-responders was significantly increased (p less than 0.025) from 170 +/- 41 to 199 +/- 29 mg/100 ml while that of the hypo-responders fell slightly. The addition of six eggs to the daily diet of the hypo-responders did not alter the mean plasma cholesterol level but resulted in a wide difference in response of plasma cholesterol concentration. The 13 hypo-responders were divided into hypo-hyper-responders (n = 6) and hypo-hypo-responders (n = 7) depending upon the degree of change in plasma cholesterol level. The present study illustrated the variabilities of plasma cholesterol level among free-living subjects who demonstrated two-stage thresholds of response to dietary intake of cholesterol.

Adult↗

The effect of dietary protein on the metabolism of vitamin B-6 in humans.

Eight men, aged 21-31 yr, were fed semipurified diets containing 0.5 (low), 1.0 (medium) and 2.0 (high) g protein/kg body weight; vitamin B-6 intake was kept constant at 1.6 mg/d. Each level of protein was fed for 15 d. Urinary vitamin B-6 (UB-6), urinary 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), plasma total vitamin B-6 (PB-6) and plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) were determined every third day. Means are reported for all subjects of values determined during the second half of each period. Concentration of urinary and plasma vitamin B-6 compounds were negatively correlated with protein intake: the correlation coefficient of nitrogen intake with 4-PA was -0.69 (P less than 0.01); with PLP, -0.45 (P less than 0.05); and with PB-6, -0.48 (P less than 0.05). The decrease in UB-6 was not statistically significant. These results indicate that with increased intake of dietary protein, vitamin B-6 is retained in the body for increased catabolism of amino acids. When evaluating vitamin B-6 requirements or status in humans, protein intake must be considered.

Adult↗

The effect of vitamin B6 deficiency on cytotoxic immune responses of T cells, antibodies, and natural killer cells, and phagocytosis by macrophages.

The effect of vitamin B6 on cytotoxic immune responses of T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, cytotoxic antibody production, and macrophage phagocytosis was assessed in 5-week-old female C57B1/6 mice. Mice were fed 20% casein diets with pyridoxine (PN) added at 7, 1, 0.1, or 0 mg/kg diet, which represents 700, 100, 10, and 0% of requirement, respectively. Compared to mice fed 7 or 1 mg PN diet, animals fed 0 or 0.1 mg PN diet showed significantly reduced primary splenic and peritoneal T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC). Animals fed 0 mg PN diet also showed significantly depressed secondary T CMC of splenic and peritoneal lymphocytes against P815 tumor cells. Complement-dependent antibody-mediated cytotoxicity against P815 cells, phagocytosis of SRBC by macrophages, and native and interferon-induced NK cell activities against YAC cells were not affected by the level of vitamin B6 intake. The percentage of macrophages present in the peritoneal exudate cells was increased in animals fed the 0 mg PN diet. The immune responses were not enhanced or altered by the excess intake of vitamin B6 (7 mg PN). It appears that vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient for maintenance of normal T-cell function in vivo.

Animals↗

The effect of vitamin B-6 deficiency on host susceptibility to Moloney sarcoma virus-induced tumor growth in mice.

The effect of vitamin B-6 deficiency on in vivo host susceptibility to primary Moloney sarcoma virus (MSV)-induced tumor growth and to secondary challenge with MSB sarcoma cells was examined in mice. Female C57BL/6 mice, 6 weeks of age, were fed 20% casein diets with pyridoxine (PN) added at 1, 0.5, 0.1 or 0 mg/kg diet for 21 weeks. After 4 weeks of dietary treatment the mice were challenged with MSV. Vitamin B-6 deficiency resulted in an enhancement of tumor susceptibility as well as an increase in tumor size and regression time. The animals resistant to both MSV and MSV-transformed tumor cells ( MSB ) challenge showed splenic tumor development at necropsy 51 days after MSB challenge. Total incidence of MSV/ MSB /splenic tumors was 2/11, 2/11, 4/10 and 8/11 in animals fed PN 1, 0.5, 0.1 and 0 diets, respectively. Since MSV-induced tumors regressed spontaneously in immunocompetent hosts, the increased susceptibility to MSV oncogenesis in vitamin B-6-deficient animals suggests that reactivity of T cells and/or other effector cells is impaired in vitamin B-6-deficient animals suggests that reactivity of T cells and/or other effector cells is impaired in vitamin B-6 adequacy.

Animals↗

Bioavailability to rats of selenium in various tuna and wheat products.

Bioavailability of selenium (Se) in tuna and wheat at various stages of processing was studied in rats. The protein source of the rat diets was torula yeast with Se supplied by either raw, precooked or canned tuna, or whole wheat flour, whole wheat bread or bran. Sodium selenite was used as the standard. Each Se source was fed at three levels: 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 ppm. By using increase in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in liver, kidney and whole blood as an indicator of bioavailability, no differences were found among the three tuna products or among the three wheat products tested. However, significantly lower GSH-Px activity was found in the combined tuna groups as compared to the combined wheat groups, suggesting that selenium in wheat was more available than that in tuna. There was a significant increase in the liver Se content of rats fed all levels of Se in canned tuna and in kidney, blood and muscle Se of rats fed 0.10 and 0.15 ppm Se in canned tuna in comparison to the tissue Se content in rats fed these same levels of Se in raw or precooked tuna. Since this did not correspond with an increase in GSH-Px activity it was concluded that it did not represent increased bioavailability of canned tuna. Thus, food processing does not appear to affect Se availability, but Se appears to be more available in wheat than tuna.

Animals↗

Comparative vitamin B-6 bioavailability from tuna, whole wheat bread and peanut butter in humans.

Relative bioavailability of vitamin B-6 from tuna, whole wheat bread and peanut butter was investigated in eight men. The study was divided into a 10-day adjustment and three, 14-day experimental periods in a 3 X 3 Latin square design. Vitamin B-6 intake was set at 1.6 mg/day, with 50% of the intake coming from one of the three experimental foods and 50% from a basal diet. Daily complete urine and fecal collections were made. Urine was analyzed for 4-pyridoxic acid (4PA) and vitamin B-6, fecal samples for vitamin B-6 and plasma (sampled every 5 days) for pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP). Mean values +/- SD for the adjustment, tuna, whole wheat bread and peanut butter periods were: 5.65 +/- 1.76, 4.89 +/- 1.10, 3.62 +/- 0.66 and 2.80 +/- 0.50 mumol/day for 4-pyridoxic acid; 0.98 +/- 0.34, 1.05 +/- 0.20, 0.76 +/- 0.09 and 0.68 +/- 0.19 mumol/day for urinary vitamin B-6; 2.72 +/- 0.94, 3.08 +/- 0.73, 3.80 +/- 0.78 and 4.42 +/- 1.03 mumol/day for fecal vitamin B-6 and 65.0 +/- 23.30, 64.8 +/- 29.80, 49.3 +/- 14.40 and 48.4 +/- 20.20 nM for plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, respectively. 4PA and urinary vitamin B-6 excretion were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) higher in the tuna period than in either the whole wheat bread or peanut butter periods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

The effect of wheat bran on the bioavailability of vitamin B-6 in young men.

The effect of cooked wheat bran on the bioavailability of vitamin B-6 (B-6) was determined in 10 men, aged 20 to 35 years. The subjects consumed a constant diet with and without the addition of 15 g wheat bran during three successive 18-day periods in a switch-back design. Half of the subjects received the additional bran during periods 1 and 3; the other half consumed the bran during period 2. The bran and nonbran diets supplied, respectively, 1.69 and 1.66 mg of B-6 daily. Plasma total B-6 and pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), urinary 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), and urinary and fecal B-6 were determined at regular intervals during each period. Bran significantly increased fecal B-6 (P less than 0.05) and decreased urinary 4-PA (P less than 0.01). Bran also significantly depressed plasma B-6 (P less than 0.01) and PLP (P less than 0.05). These results indicate that the addition of 15 g of wheat bran to the diet decreased the bioavailability of B-6. Since this decrease was modest, never exceeding 17% (based on urinary 4PA and B-6), this amount of bran will not adversely affect B-6 status when intake of the vitamin is adequate.

Adult↗

Single derivatization method for routine analysis of bacterial whole-cell fatty acid methyl esters, including hydroxy acids.

Analysis of fatty acid methyl esters prepared from whole-cell bacteria by sodium hydroxide hydrolysis and boron trichloride-catalyzed methylation showed degradation of hydroxy acid peaks after several injections on a fused silica capillary column. A simple base wash of the extracts before injection prevented the tailing of the hydroxy acid peaks even after extended use. This eliminates the need to form trifluoroacetic anhydride derivatives of the hydroxy acids.

Bacteria↗

The metabolism of small doses of vitamin B-6 in men.

The metabolism of small doses of pyridoxine (PN) and of equimolar doses of PN, pyridoxal (PL) and pyridoxamine (PM) was studied in five men. Fasting subjects were given 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 10 mg pyridoxine HCl and 19.45 mumoles of PN, PM and PL; one dose was administered a week. Plasma total vitamin B-6 (B-6) and pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), and urinary B-6 and 4-pyridoxic acid (4PA) were determined in timed blood and urine samples collected after each dose. The n doses had a significant P less than 0.01) overall effect on all of these measurements; the relationship between PN level and the subjects' responses was linear (P less than 0.01). Plasma B-6 peaked at 0.5 or 1 hour after the PN doses; PLP at 0.5, 1 or 3 hours, depending on size of dose. Plasma B-6 but not PLP approached fasting levels 3 to 5 hours after the 0.5- to 4-mg PN doses; both plasma B-6 and PLP were still elevated 24 hours after 10 mg PN. In general, the rate of urinary B-6 and 4PA excretion was maximal the first 3 hours after the doses. With increasing PN doses, the percent of the dose recovered as urinary B-6 and 4PA decreased from 9 to 7% and 63 to 35%, respectively. Immediately following PL, plasma B-6 and urinary 4PA rose steeply indicating the rapid plasma clearance and oxidation of this B-6 vitamer. Responses to PM were generally slower than for PN or PL, suggesting that PM is absorbed more slowly or metabolized differently, or both, than PL or PN. A dose of at least 1 mg of B-6 is necessary to obtain measurable changes in vitamin B-6 metabolism.

Adult↗

Bioavailability of vitamin B-6 from wheat bread in humans.

Bioavailability of vitamin B-6 from three types of bread was studied in nine men. Each week one of the three types of bread, whole wheat (WHW), white (W) and W enriched with vitamin B-6 (WB6) was fed (570-600 g/day) to each subject using a Latin square design. The WHW, WB6 and W bread supplied 1.20, 1.18 and 0.35 mg of B-6 daily, respectively. The remaining constant diet supplied 0.38 mg of B-6. When W was fed, the subjects also received an oral dose of pyridoxine to maintain a daily intake of 1.5 mg of vitamin B-6. Dietary, urinary, fecal and blood samples were analyzed for vitamin B-6. The predominant forms of vitamin B-6 in the diet and urine were pyridoxine and pyridoxal, respectively. Fecal vitamin B-6 excretion was significantly higher (P smaller than or equal to 0.01) and urinary 4-pyridoxic acid excretion significantly lower (P smaller than or equal to 0.05) when WHW bread was fed than when either WB6 or W bread was fed. The plasma pyridoxal phosphate level was slightly lower when WHW bread was consumed as compared to when WB6 was fed. There were no significant differences in urinary B-6, plasma B-6 or the activity of the erythrocyte transaminases in relation to the type of bread fed. These data suggest that vitamin B-6 is 5-10% less available from WHW than from WB6 or W bread and an oral dose of B-6. The enrichment of refined wheat flour with pyridoxine is feasible based on the nutritional indices determined in this study.

Adult↗

Effect of oral contraceptives and pyridoxine on the metabolism of vitamin B6 and on plasma tryptophan and alpha-amino nitrogen.

The effect of supplementary pyridoxine on the metabolism of vitamin B6 as well as plasma tryptophan and alpha-amino nitrogen was determined in women using oral contraceptive agents. Ten women who were taking oral contraceptive agents and 11 who had never taken them served as subjects. Blood from the various biochemical measurements was drawn from fasting subjects before and after they had received an oral dose of 50 mg of pyridoxine-HCl daily fo 2 days. The use of oral contraceptive agents had no effect on the levels of blood vitamin B6, plasma pyridoxal phosphate, and plasma tryptophan. The activity of erythrocyte glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase was higher (P less than 0.05) in the oral contraceptive agent users than in the nonusers but the stimulation in vitro by pyridoxal phosphate was similar for the two groups. Plasma alpha-amino nitrogen was slightly lower in the oral contraceptive agent users than in the nonusers, but the difference was not statistically significant. The rise in blood vitamin B6 in response to pyridoxine was similar in the two groups, but the rise in plasma pyridoxal phosphate tended to be lower in the oral contraceptive agent treated subjects. Following pyridoxine supplementation, the basal activity of erythrocyte glutamic oxalocetic transaminase increased (P less than 0.01) in both groups of subjects and the stimulation in vitro by pyridoxal phosphate decreased correspondingly. Plasma tryptophan and alpha-amino nitrogen were unaffected by the supplementary pyridoxine.

Adult↗