Serum triglycerides, cholesterol, lipoproteins and fatty acids has been determined in 11 normal infants (RN) and 20 small for date newborn infants (SFD) at birth, before feeding, and at one week of life. All infants were bed with a milk formula (Maseda adaptado ) according with ESPGAN recommendations. Serum triglycerides are significantly increased in SFD after one week of feeding (p less than 0.01). Serum cholesterol in SFD show no differences in relation to normal infants. VLDL are significantly increased in SFD ab birth (p less than 0.01) reaching normal values after one week of feeding. After delivery SFD infants show a low serum level of linoleate (C18:2 omega 6) (p less than 0.05), linolenate (C18:3 omega 3) (p less than 0.02) and eicosadienoate (C20:2 omega 6) (p less than 0.02). No differences are observed in arachidonate (C20:4 omega 6). At one week after feeding no differences are observed in serum fatty acids between SFD and normal infants.

Cholesterol↗

PubMed1984

Role of the septum on LH, FSH and prolactin secretion in male rats.

Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL) and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in male Wistar rats: (a) Four days after a septal lesion (n = 19) and (b) Just following electrical stimulation of the septum (n = 15). Septal lesions induced a significant decrease in serum LH (16.37 +/- 2.01 vs. 30.27 +/- 2.08 ng/ml; p less than 0.001) and testosterone concentrations (0.53 +/- 0.05 vs. 1.01 +/- 0.14 ng/ml; p less than 0.02). No significant changes were observed for FSH or PRL levels. Electrical septal stimulation induced an increase in serum levels of LH (211.5 +/- 46.4 vs. 29.6 +/- 11.5 ng/ml; p less than 0.01) and FSH (703 +/- 83 vs. 378 +/- 57 ng/ml; p less than 0.01), without changes in PRL or testosterone concentrations. From these data we conclude that in male rats the septum may play a role in the mechanisms controlling gonadotropins release by the anterior pituitary gland.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Urinary 3-methylhistidine derivative as indicator of nutrients intake in low-birth-weight infants.

Urinary excretion levels of N-methylhistidine derivatives and N-methylhistidine/creatinine ratios were studied in a group of 20 small for date newborns, 10 premature infants and 8 normal infants, at birth and at one week of life. All infants were fed with an adapted milk formula supplying 2.8 g protein/kg body weight. 1-methyl and 3-methylhistidine urinary excretion were increased in all groups of infants from birth to the 7th day of life. Creatinine and N-methyl derivatives/creatinine ratios were also significantly increased at one week of life. The two ratios showed a higher level in small for date and premature infants than in normal infants at birth which continued relatively increased at one week of life. 3-methyl-histidine/creatinine ratio appears as a useful indicator of the turnover rate of muscular proteins in low-birth-weight infants.

Body Weight↗

PubMed1984

Changes in serum albumin, transferrin and amino acid indices during the first month of life in small-for-date infants.

Total serum proteins, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, and plasma-free amino acids have been determined in 12 small-for-date infants and in 14 normal infants at birth, at 1 week and at 1 month after birth. All infants were fed ad libitum with an adapted infant formula providing 1.9 g protein and 74 kcal/100 ml. Total serum proteins and albumin but not transferrin were low at birth in small-for-date infants, reaching normal values after 1 week of feeding. Serum globulins were low from birth to 1 week in small-for-date infants but they were normal after 1 month. Values for classical amino acid malnutrition indices suggest a state of protein-energy malnutrition which disappeared after 1 week of feeding.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1984

Serum and urine amino acid patterns during the first month of life in small-for-date infants.

Prenatal nutrition is impaired in small-for-gestational-age infants. Serum amino acids may show some biochemical features related to the nutritional state of these children. We have carried out a study on serum and urine amino acids in 12 small-for-date infants (SFD) and 14 healthy newborns from birth to 1 month of life. SFD infants showed a high serum level of alanine and decreased concentrations of branched chain amino acids, aspartate, cystine and tryptophan at birth. The results are compatible with a protein malnutrition state. Levels of serum amino acids in SFD infants showed no differences in relation to normal infants after 1 month of rehabilitation with a diet consisting of an adapted milk formula.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1984

Diagnosis of tricuspid insufficiency by non invasive methods.

The diagnosis of tricuspid insufficiency was first made at the end of last century, based on clinical signs. Graphic tracings of the venous system were soon recorded and were demonstrated useful in the forties and fifties. New methods involving invasive procedure or expensive instrumentation have been described in the last twenty years. The present study was made in order to re-examine the value of the non-invasive, graphic methods, which would assure a simple and inexpensive study for these patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982

[Biochemical indicators of malnutrition in children with intrauterine growth retardation].

The evolution of plasma and urine amino acids in "small for dates" newborns from the first hours of life to 30 days has been studied. The results obtained point out the occurrence of malnutrition in these newborns who have lower levels of plasma albumin than controls, high indexes of malnutrition from plasma aminograms and lower urinary excretion of histidine and its N-methyl derivatives. All indexes are normalized at 7 days of life with the used diet.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1979

Drug use among public and private secondary school students in Puerto Rico.

This paper reports results of the first wave of a two-wave panel survey carried out on a representative sample of Puerto Rican public and private secondary school students in the 1974--1975 academic year. Twelve percent of the students reported the use of one or more illicit drugs. The illicit drug most frequently used was marijuana. A greater proportion of adolescents have used alcohol and tobacco than any of the illegal drugs. Private school students of both sexes reported more use of illicit and licit drugs than their public school peers, suggesting that socio-economic factors may be influencing Puerto Rican adolescent drug behavior. Differences between Puerto Rican adolescents vary significantly depending on sex and suggest that Puerto Rican sociocultural conditions may have an important effect upon male-female drug use patterns. One of the most significant findings of the study is the high frequency of drug use among Puerto Rican adolescents who ever lived in other countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979