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Biomedical subjects

R Uauy

Publications and source records attributed to R Uauy.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Mental and motor development, social competence, and growth one year after successful pediatric liver transplantation.

We measured intellectual and motor function, social competence, and growth in 29 children (mean age 4 years 7 months) before liver transplantation and 1 year later. We used either the Bayley Scales, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, and the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI), Motor Age Quotient, or the Wechsler Scales, depending on the age of the child at testing. Social function was measured with the MCDI or the Child Behavior Checklist. All anthropometric measures were expressed relative to normal values for age and sex. Patients whose intellectual and motor scores were less than 80 before transplantation gained an average of 8 points, but these changes were not statistically significant, nor were the changes on these measures for the group as a whole. The development of children with onset of liver disease in the first year of life was more likely to remain delayed after transplantation. Older subjects improved significantly in social competence (p less than 0.008). There were significant increments after transplantation in weight, head circumference, and arm anthropometrics (p less than 0.0001 to 0.04), but there was no change in linear growth rate. Increments in length correlated negatively with steroid dosage, and change in head circumference was associated with age at time of transplantation (p less than 0.005 to 0.10).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Energy expenditure in underweight free-living adults: impact of energy supplementation as determined by doubly labeled water and indirect calorimetry.

The effect of energy supplementation was evaluated in six underweight adults under free-living conditions. Customary energy intake (EI) over 4 wk and estimated body composition were defined. Then for 12 wk subjects were fed their customary EI under controlled conditions to assure stable energy reserve. Finally, intake was increased by a mean of 720 kcal/d for 8 wk adjusted to increase body fat from 9 to 18%. Body weight (means +/- SD) increased from 55.2 +/- 3.4 to 57.0 +/- 4.2 kg. Body fat gain was highly variable ranging from 0.6 to 3.8 kg. Energy expenditure (EE) by the factorial and doubly labeled water methods did not change. Fat storage accounted for 66% of the supplemental energy; 237 kcal/d remained unaccounted for. EE by the factorial method, which uses indirect calorimetry or isotopic measurements, were highly correlated (r = 0.8; p less than 0.01). Under the conditions of this study EI does not affect EE. The labeled water method permits the evaluation of energy expenditure in free-living conditions.

Body Composition↗
PubMed1989

Use of 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy to characterize evolving brain damage after perinatal asphyxia.

We investigated postasphyxial brain damage with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and correlated it with neurologic assessment and standard laboratory evaluation during the first 10 months of life in 1 infant, baby G. We compared these observations to 31P MRS data from 7 healthy term newborns, 1 normal infant examined serially over the first 8.5 months of life, and 5 other term infants following perinatal asphyxia. MRS noninvasively provides biochemical correlates of the evolution of brain damage following perinatal asphyxia and suggests that pH derived from the inorganic phosphate peak may serve as a marker for brain injury.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗
PubMed1988

A model to study the direct effect of diet on early intestinal growth and maturation using Thiry-Vella loops.

Thiry-Vella loops (TVL) are neurovascular intact intestinal segments isolated from the normal flow of chyme. TVL have been used to assess the effects of local and systemic factors in the intestine of adult animal models. To assess the direct effect of diet in growth and maturation of the intestine in the growing animal, the authors developed a similar model in the weanling rat. The surgical technique is described. Results include weight gain, morphometry of the intestine, dissacharidases, total proteins, and nucleic acid in both TVLs and intestine in continuity. This model is inexpensive, easy to handle, and ideal for studying the effect of dietary factors on intestinal growth and maturation, separating the direct effect of diet on the intestine from systemic effects.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Lovastatin therapy in receptor-negative homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: lack of effect on low-density lipoprotein concentrations or turnover.

To determine whether at least part of the fall in low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels during lovastatin therapy might be the result of a reduced secretion of lipoproteins by the liver, three children 6 to 9 years of age with receptor-negative homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia underwent treatment with lovastatin. These patients have no capacity to synthesize LDL receptors. During lovastatin therapy, at a dose of 2 mg/kg/day, there was no decrease in LDL-cholesterol levels, nor was the turnover rate of LDL affected by the drug. The only significant change was a 74% drop in very low-density lipoprotein during treatment. We conclude that lovastatin is not effective in treatment of receptor-negative homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. The most likely mechanism of action for this drug is to increase LDL receptor activity.

Apolipoproteins B↗
PubMed1988

Trace mineral balance during acute diarrhea in infants.

To evaluate the magnitude of copper and zinc losses during acute diarrhea requiring hospitalization, we studied 14 infants, 3 to 14 months of age, and compared them with a control group of 15 infants of similar age, birth weight, and nutritional status. Metabolic balance studies were conducted in the study group during an initial 48 hours (period 1) and on days 6 and 7 after admission (period 2). The control group was studied after recovery from respiratory disease. Copper and zinc content of feces, urine, and food samples was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean (+/- SD) fecal losses were higher for period 1 in the diarrhea group than in control subjects: Cu 55.7 +/- 21.2 versus 28.8 +/- 6.7 micrograms/kg/body weight/day (p less than 0.01); Zn 159.4 +/- 59.9 versus 47.4 +/- 6.4 micrograms/kg/day (p less than 0.0001). For period 2, Zn losses were similar in both groups, but Cu balance remained negative only in the study group. Retention of Zn for the study group went from -21.2 +/- 46.7 in period 1 to 204.5 +/- 103.0 micrograms/kg/day in period 2 (p less than 0.0001), and fecal weight decreased from 70.5 +/- 20.6 in period 1 to 36.8 +/- 20.0 gm/kg/day in period 2. Fecal weight and fecal losses were correlated: r = 0.71 (p less than 0.01) for Cu and r = 0.81 (p less than 0.001) for Zn. Plasma mean Cu and Zn levels were low in period 1 but rose in period 2, especially for Zn. A negative correlation was found between fecal Zn losses and plasma Zn: r = 0.74 (p less than 0.001). We conclude that acute diarrhea leads to Cu and Zn depletion and that plasma levels and Cu balance remain abnormal a week after admission.

Copper↗
PubMed1988

Copper deficiency impairs growth of infants recovering from malnutrition.

To evaluate the effect of copper deficiency on growth in humans we performed a prospective case-control study in 11 infants identified as Cu deficient based on low plasma Cu (less than 70 micrograms/dL [11.0 mumol/L]) and low ceruloplasmin (less than 200 mg/L). Growth was evaluated with anthropometric indices 1 mo before and 1 mo after onset of Cu supplementation of 80 micrograms.kg-1.d-1. Plasma Cu and ceruloplasmin rose significantly after 1 mo of supplementation. Weight-for-age and weight-for-length indices increased significantly after supplementation only in the Cu-deficient group. Daily energy intake was significantly higher in the Cu-deficient group after supplementation than it was in the control group. Daily weight gain after supplementation increased significantly in the Cu-deficient group and the value for daily weight gain after supplementation was significantly higher than that of the control group for the equivalent amount of time. Cu supplementation improves the growth of Cu-deficient infants recovering from malnutrition.

Ceruloplasmin↗
PubMed1988

Uptake of cholesterol-rich remnant lipoproteins by human monocyte-derived macrophages is mediated by low density lipoprotein receptors.

The uptake and degradation of cholesterol-rich remnant lipoproteins, referred to as beta-VLDL, are shown in the present study to be mediated by LDL receptors (apoB,E(LDL) receptors), not by unique beta-VLDL receptors. Human blood monocytes cultured for 5-7 d bound apoB- and/or apoE-containing lipoproteins from different species with affinities equivalent to those demonstrated for the receptors on cultured human fibroblasts. Low density lipoproteins competed effectively and completely with 125I-beta-VLDL for binding to and degradation by monocyte-derived macrophages. Specific polyclonal antibodies to bovine apoB,E(LDL) receptors abolished both LDL and beta-VLDL uptake by normal human monocyte-macrophages. Immunoblots of monocyte-macrophage extracts with these antibodies revealed a single protein in human macrophages with an apparent molecular weight identical to that of the apoB,E(LDL) receptor found on human fibroblasts. Like receptors on cultured human fibroblasts, the apoB,E(LDL) receptors on monocyte-macrophages responsible for 125I-beta-VLDL and 125I-LDL uptake were efficiently down regulated by preincubation of the cells with beta-VLDL or LDL. Finally, monocyte-macrophages from seven homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia subjects were unable to metabolize beta-VLDL or LDL, but demonstrated normal uptake of acetoacetylated LDL. The classic apoB,E(LDL) receptors on human monocyte-macrophages thus mediate the uptake of beta-VLDL by these cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Hypotonia of rickets: a sequential study by P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

To address the role of high-energy phosphorus compounds in the hypotonia of vitamin D-dependent rickets, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were obtained sequentially from resting gastrocnemius muscle of a 10-month-old infant with rachitic hypotonia during supplementation with vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus. During the initial weeks of treatment, the hypotonia resolved before evidence of epiphyseal mineralization. Over the early treatment period, the muscle phosphocreatine/beta-adenosine triphosphate [PCr/beta-ATP] ratio increased from 2.7-2.8 [wk 1-2] to 3.9-4.5 [wk 7-9]. The PCr/beta-ATP ratio for 6-month-old normal infant gastrocnemius and adult forearm were 4.0 and 5.7, respectively. Muscle strength appeared to recover concomitantly with an increase in retained muscle phosphorus and high-energy phosphate compounds, and with relative increase in the muscle phosphocreatine to ATP ratio. The synchrony of clinical recovery may relate to the recovery kinetics of these metabolic changes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1988

[Estimation of the energy needs at the national level: use of the FAO/WHO/UNU 1985 approach].

This paper analyzes the methodology proposed by FAO/WHO/UNU 1985 to determine energy requirements and recommendations for population groups. The physiological basis for individual requirements and the components to estimate the energy expenditure of population groups, are presented. This new approach requires a detailed knowledge of the distribution of the population by sex, age and level of physical activity. In the absence of physical activity data the distribution by employment category may be used. Our study suggests characterizing the population through the use of biotypes, according to sex, age and level of physical activity. This new approach also requires the knowledge of weight and height of a representative sample of the population. The planner should also consider a desirable level of physical activity for the population, and decide if the energy recommendation should optimize the weight and height of individuals to promote improved physical well being and health status. The application of this approach to a specific country in Latin America revealed that the available data are insufficient for an adequate estimation of energy needs of the population. Nevertheless, results suggest that the energy gaps for urban sedentary groups are less than those calculated using the traditional FAO/WHO 1973 reference pattern. The energy needs of the countries in the Region will increase as the infant population improves physical development more in accordance with the full expression of their genetic endowment. Further increases in energy needs are estimated as the general population increases the level of discretionary physical activity.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1988

Mental development and growth in children with chronic liver disease of early and late onset.

Comparison was made of the mental function and physical growth of 21 children in whom liver disease occurred in the first year of life with 15 patients with late (17 months of age to 12 years of age) manifestation of liver disease. Ages (mean +/- SD) at testing for the two groups was 8 +/- 3 years for the early group and 11 +/- 5 years for the late group. Wechsler verbal, performance, and full-scale IQ scores were lower for the early group (range of mean scores: early, 85 to 86 v late, 96 to 103). Growth measures were significantly different in the two groups. Means +/- SD (percentage of standard) were: length for early group, 92 +/- 9; for late, 99 +/- 7; and head circumference for early, 98 +/- 4; for late, 101 +/- 2. The groups were similar in severity of liver disease and acute nutritional status, however. Patients with intellectual impairment had a longer duration of illness, poor nutritional status, and vitamin E deficiency; 82% of impaired patients were in the early group. The data suggest that liver disease during early life has pernicious effects on intellectual function and linear growth. Careful monitoring of nutritional status of children with early-onset liver disease and aggressive nutritional support beginning at the time of diagnosis may help reduce delays in growth and mental development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Controlled trial of zinc supplementation during recovery from malnutrition: effects on growth and immune function.

To evaluate the effect of zinc on growth and immune function, 32 marasmic infants were selected on admission to the nutrition recovery center; 16 received 2 mg/kg daily of elemental zinc supplement as acetate and the remaining received a placebo. Immunity was assessed by skin-test response, T-cell blastic proliferation immunoglobulins, and infectious morbidity. Weight-for-length gain for initial 60 days in Zn-supplemented group was 9% of standard vs 3% for placebo (p less than 0.05). Energy intake was similar in both groups. Incidence of infections, especially pyoderma, was significantly higher in placebo group: 10 of 16 vs 3 of 16 in the supplemented group (p less than 0.025). Plasma Zn was correlated with number of febrile days in the prospective month (r = -0.66, p less than 0.05). The percent anergic infants decreased and serum IgA increased significantly only in Zn-supplemented group. Zinc supplementation has significant effects on weight gain and host defense mechanisms despite normal plasma levels. Zinc supplementation is recommended for optimal recovery from marasmus.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1987

Mental and motor development correlates in patients with end-stage biliary atresia awaiting liver transplantation.

We measured mental and motor development in 27 infants and 14 children with end-stage biliary atresia who were awaiting liver transplantation, and we measured disease-related variables (physical growth, liver function, and severity and duration of disease) that may relate to development. We then determined the relationship between development and the disease-related variables. Infants were assessed with the Bayley scales, and children were assessed with the Stanford-Binet scales of intelligence and the Minnesota Child Development Inventory. The mean +/- SD mental and motor scores for infants were 79.5 +/- 19.6 and 69.7 +/- 17.6, respectively. The mean +/- SD IQ and motor development scores for children were 76.1 +/- 16.6 and 56.9 +/- 18.1, respectively. For infants, mental and motor development were related significantly to height and weight (r values ranged from .42 to .72). Mental development in infants was also related significantly to serum vitamin E levels (P = .03). Multiple regression analyses combining growth and disease-related indices predicted 70% of the variance in mental and motor development in infants (P = .001). For children, development was related to measures of liver function (ie, to serum bilirubin, r = -.51, P = -.08, and to serum albumin, r = .54, P = .06) but not to growth. Careful nutritional support during infancy and aggressive management of liver disease prior to transplantation may be important in optimizing the development of children with biliary atresia who subsequently undergo liver transplantation.

Biliary Atresia↗
PubMed1987

Dietary fatty acid effects on T-cell-mediated immunity in mice infected with mycoplasma pulmonis or given carcinogens by injection.

To test whether or not diets enriched in w-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are significantly immunosuppressive, B10.D2, DBA/2, and C3B6F1 mice were fed diets enriched for fatty acids: linoleic (POLY), oleic (MONO), palmitic (SAT), or eicosapentanoic (FISH). The B10.D2 and DBA/2 mice were given injected methylcholanthrene several weeks later, and immune studies were performed several months after carcinogen treatment. In conventional quarters, DBA/2 fed the POLY diet survived poorly, and many were infected with Mycoplasma pulmonis, even if given the vehicle, tractinoin, only. B10.D2 mice survived well unless on the POLY diet and given methylcholanthrene. Nevertheless, only mice on the POLY diet were significantly immunosuppressed, and only T-cell-mediated cutaneous sensitivity reactions were affected. Antibody, natural killer cell, and natural cytotoxic cell responses were not influenced by the diets. The C3B6F1 mice were assessed for immune functions prior to carcinogen (ethylnitrosourea) instillation into the trachea, and no immunosuppression was detected. After instillation, mice on the POLY and MONO diets were suppressed for T-cell cutaneous responses. Deliberate infection with Mycoplasma pulmonis resulted in suppressed cutaneous T-cell responses in the POLY group of C3B6F1 mice, and aspirin partially reversed the immunosuppression. Mice on the FISH diet were resistant to immunosuppression. It is tentatively concluded that diets rich in w-6 polyunsaturated diets, while not directly immunosuppressive, do predispose animals to suppression of certain T-cell-mediated immune responses. This immunosuppression can be "triggered" by infection and/or by exposure to carcinogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Eating behavior and plasma beta-endorphin in bulimia.

To study the possible role of plasma beta-endorphin in bulimia, we measured plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in 34 female patients with normal-weight bulimia and 34 normal female controls matched for weight as percent of ideal. Plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in bulimics (mean 59.6 pg/ml; SEM 5.6) was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than in controls (mean 79.5 pg/ml; SEM 8.5). Within the bulimic group, plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity correlated inversely with severity of bulimic symptomatology as measured by the Eating Attitudes Test Bulimia Subscale (p less than 0.05). Endorphin level did not correlate with severity of depression or with percent ideal body weight. Abnormalities in opioid metabolism may be implicated in eating disorders and account for the addictive properties of these disorders.

Adult↗