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Biomedical subjects

T M Rossi

Publications and source records attributed to T M Rossi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Nutrition and exocrine pancreatic function in infancy: effects of total parenteral nutrition and first degree malnutrition.

Thirty-six infants suffering from gastrointestinal diseases during infancy were evaluated for exocrine pancreatic function by means of the pancreozymin-secretin test. Duodenal fluid volume, protein content, and content and peak-specific activity of amylase, lipase, and trypsin were determined following intravenous administration of either pancreozymin (CCK) or secretin. Seven infants receiving long-term parenteral nutrition and 17 infants receiving oral feedings and exhibiting first-degree malnutrition in association with chronic diarrhea underwent testing. Results were compared to those of a group of 12 age-matched infants with chronic diarrhea and weight loss. Four patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) suffered from severe short bowel syndrome and three had intractable diarrhea of infancy. The total duration of TPN ranged from 1.5-12 months, and the period of exclusive TPN in the absence of oral feedings ranged from 1-4 months. The heights, weights, and weight-for-height relationships were at or above the fifth percentile for all seven infants. The weight-for-height relationship of each patient in the control group was above the fifth percentile, while that of all malnourished infants was below the fifth percentile. No significant difference was found in the volume of fluid collected following either CCK or secretin administration. The content and concentration of amylase and lipase were lower in those patients receiving TPN. The levels were statistically significant (p less than 0.05) following secretin administration. In contrast, the peak-specific activity and total trypsin content, as well as protein content, was not significantly different in patients receiving TPN, controls, and malnourished patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amylases↗
PubMed1986

Effect of nutritional rehabilitation on the development of intestinal brush border disaccharidases of postnatally malnourished weanling rats.

The reversibility of the effects of postnatal malnutrition on the intestinal brush border enzymes and somatic and intestinal weights were examined using either ad libitum or restricted feedings. Malnutrition was induced in the immediate postnatal period by expanding newborn rat litters to 20 pups/dam. At 21 days of age, malnourished pups exhibited significantly decreased body and intestinal weights as compared to those from control litters. Malnourished pups also had significantly elevated lactase specific activities whereas sucrase and maltase activities were not affected in the proximal small intestine. With subsequent nutritional rehabilitation by an ad libitum (food available 24 h/day) or restricted feeding regimen (food available 2 h/day), body and intestinal weights remained significantly depressed by 56 days in malnourished as compared to control animals. Rats on 2-h feedings consumed approximately 35% of the food consumed by their ad libitum-fed counterparts. Comparison of the ratio of weight gained to the amount of food consumed did not demonstrate a greater food efficiency with any particular feeding pattern. With ad libitum or restricted feedings, lactase specific activity in the proximal segment attained control values by 14 days. Restricted feedings resulted in an apparent elevation of specific activity of sucrase and of maltase, when rats were sacrificed at one chosen time point. Multiple time studies in a 24-h cycle showed that maximal elevations in enzyme activities were associated with feeding time. There were no significant differences in mean specific daily enzyme activities between the two feeding regimens. Restricted feedings show no advantage in enzyme efficiency or in promoting the rate of recovery of the intestine after postnatal malnutrition.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Computed axial tomographic scanning of the thigh: an alternative method of nutritional assessment in pediatrics.

In this study we compared the findings of computed axial tomographic (CT) scanning of the thigh with the findings of arm anthropometry and urinary creatinine determinations to assess nutrition in children with inflammatory bowel disease receiving total parenteral nutrition. All 14 children received our standard solution for total parenteral nutrition as well as prednisone and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) therapy. All patients were assessed by arm anthropometry, 24-hour urine collections for creatinine clearance, and CT scanning of the thigh during total parenteral nutrition. Arm muscle and fat area were estimated by anthropometry, and those in the thigh were estimated by CT scanning. Our results show the total muscle area from the CT scan can predict muscle mass calculated from the urinary creatinine excretion rates. In addition, there is a close correlation between the thigh muscle area as measured by CT scanning and the muscle area calculated from urinary creatinine excretion rates. In addition, the comparison of thigh muscle area and thigh fat area to the midarm muscle area and midarm fat area, respectively, showed that the thigh is a better predictor of muscle than fat in the midarm. We conclude that the total thigh muscle area is a better predictor of muscle mass as compared to the midarm muscle area. In addition, the CT scan cut at the level of the thigh in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease can provide valuable information about the thigh compartment and analyses of different cross-sectional areas of the thigh.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A rapid enzymatic procedure for "fingerprinting" bacteria by using pattern recognition of two-dimensional fluorescence data.

We describe a rapid fluorescence technique for bacterial "fingerprinting," based on the differences in enzyme content and activity of various bacteria. Bacterial cells are incubated with a mixture of carefully chosen fluorogenic enzyme substrates to produce fluorophores with unique emission and excitation properties. The resulting two-dimensional fluorescence spectrum of the product mixture produces a pattern characteristic of the bacterium. A Fourier-transform-based pattern recognition algorithm is used for spectral matching and for differentiating visually similar spectra. This sensitive technique is potentially applicable to differentiation and identification of bacteria in clinical laboratories.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1985

Chemiluminescent response of neutrophils from patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

The activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often difficult to monitor by currently available laboratory tests. The oxidative metabolic activity of Ficoll-Hypaque separated human neutrophils was determined in a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay and compared to the white blood cell (WBC) count and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) among 13 subjects with inflammatory bowel disease. Clinical disease activity was assessed with a standardized scoring system and judged to be mild in five subjects and absent (remission) in the other eight subjects. The chemiluminescent response of neutrophils was increased among 12 persons compared to that of healthy subjects. In contrast, the WBC count and ESR were abnormal only among two and four individuals, respectively. The widespread abnormality in neutrophil chemiluminescence, even among subjects classified as being in remission, suggests that chemiluminescence determinations may provide a means to monitor longitudinal changes in disease activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Intractable diarrhea of infancy. An alternative treatment strategy.

Prolonged diarrhea in an adult is a serious problem; in an infant it is life threatening. Conventional therapy for intractable diarrhea of infancy, which involves use of clear liquids and gradual reintroduction of cow's milk or formula, works in most situations. However, for some infants this type of management exacerbates diarrhea. As alternative therapy, the authors recommend use of oral elemental diets in most infants and total parenteral nutrition in some. This would lessen the likelihood of diarrhea exacerbation and decrease morbidity and mortality.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1983

Effect of feeding regimens on the functional recovery of pancreatic enzymes in postnatally malnourished weanling rats.

Malnutrition was induced in the immediate postnatal period by expanding newborn litters to 20 rat pups/dam. The reversibility of the effects of malnutrition on the pancreas was evaluated by comparing two different feeding methods. At 21 days of age, pups from the expanded litters exhibited significantly decreased body (P less than 0.0005) and pancreatic (P less than 0.0025) weights as compared to those from control litters (12 pups/dam). Malnourished pups also had less contents of amylase (P less than 0.01), lipase (P less than 0.0005) and trypsinogen (P less than 0.0025) in their pancreases. The concentrations (specific activities) of amylase (P less than 0.05) and lipase (P less than 0.0125) were significantly decreased but trypsinogen (P less than 0.35) was not affected. Subsequent nutritional rehabilitation by an ad libitum (food available 24 h/day) or restricted (food available 2 h/day) feeding regimen failed to allow for "catch-up" in body (P less than 0.025) and pancreatic weight (P less than 0.05) by 56 days of life. With ad libitum feedings, enzyme contents and concentrations of amylase and lipase in malnourished animals attained control values by 7 and 14 days, respectively. Restricted feedings, however, delayed the recovery in amylase by an additional 7 days but lipase remained depressed in both content, (P less than 0.005) and specific activity (P less than 0.0025) for the duration of the experiment (56 days). Changes in pancreatic enzymes in response to malnutrition are readily reversible with ad libitum feedings but changes in somatic and pancreatic weights were not reversed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amylases↗
PubMed1981

Recurrent abdominal pain and lactose absorption in children.

The association of lactase deficiency with recurrent abdominal pain was investigated. One hundred three white children between the ages of 6 to 14 years with recurrent abdominal pain were evaluated. Sixty-nine underwent lactose tolerance tests and 26 had intestinal biopsies with lactase determinations; 21 of 69 (30.4%) had abnormal lactose tolerance tests and eight of 26 (31%) were lactase deficient. However, 16 of 61 (26.4%) control subjects matched for age and ethnic background exhibited lactase deficiency. Thus, a similar prevalence of lactase deficiency was found in the control and the recurrent abdominal pain groups. Thirty-eight patients with recurrent abdominal pain completed three successive six-week diet trials conducted in a double-blind fashion. An increase above base line value in pain frequency was seen in ten of 21 (48%) lactose malabsorbers and four of 17 (24%) lactose absorbers. After a 12-month milk elimination diet, six of 15 (40%) malabsorbers and five of 13 (38%) absorbers had elimination of their pain. This result compared with improvement occurring in five of 12 (42%) absorbers with recurrent abdominal pain who received a regular diet for one year and suggests that the elimination of lactose will not affect the overall frequency of improvement in recurrent abdominal pain. In addition, the recovery rate from recurrent abdominal pain is similar in both lactose absorbers and nonabsorbers independent of dietary restrictions.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1981

Peptic ulcer in children: the predominance of gastric ulcers.

Thirty-two children with ulcer disease were seen over a four-year period. Twenty-seven children had a primary ulcer and five had an ulcer associated with an acute or chronic illness (secondary ulcer). Antral ulcer was diagnosed most commonly, followed by duodenal ulcer and gastric body ulcer. The ratio of gastric ulcer to duodenal ulcer was 17:11. Diagnosis of ulcer was accomplished by endoscopy in 97% of the patients and by radiography in 70% of those studied. Radiologic accuracy was obtained in 89% with duodenal ulcer but in only 50% of those with gastric ulcer. Children with primary gastric ulcer presented with no evidence of chronicity and 12% had persistence or recurrence of ulcer during follow-up. Eighty-two percent of the children with primary duodenal ulcer presented with chronic symptoms consisting of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or recurrent bleeding and 45% had persistence or recurrence of ulcer during follow-up. Children with secondary ulcer all presented with acute symptoms and none had persistence or recurrence. Twenty children were treated prospectively with cimetidine and 11 were treated with antacids. Repeat endoscopy was employed in 16 as a measure of healing. All children with isolated antral ulcer did well clinically, regardless of mode of therapy and of those studied by re-endoscopy all showed complete or substantial healing at six to eight weeks. Treatment of a small group of children with primary duodenal ulcer using cimetidine was initially efficacious, although recurrence of ulcer was noted after cessation of treatment in four of six children given cimetidine. In addition, cimetidine appears to offer no advantage compared to antacids in the treatment of uncomplicated antral ulcer in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Extent and duration of small intestinal mucosal injury in intractable diarrhea of infancy.

Thirty infants with intractable diarrhea of infancy (IDI) underwent small bowel biopsies in order to determine the extent and duration of small intestinal mucosal injury. The onset of the persistent diarrhea occurred prior to 3 months of age and continued for an average of 48 days prior to investigation. In 18 cases, no associated entities were found. Mucosal injury was invariably found in all 30 infants: grade IV injury in 11, grade III in eight, grade II in nine, and grade I atrophy in one. Disaccharidase activities were diminished and corresponded to the degree of atrophy. Lactase activity was diminished to a greater extent than sucrase and maltase. Significant, persistent mucosal injury existed for an average of six months in 16 of the 23 (70%) repeat biopsies. All infants were given an elemental diet (ED). Twelve of the 30 infants required parenteral nutrition (PN). These infants were gradually advanced to an oral elemental diet and maintained on this diet until histologic findings and disaccharidase levels were normal. Eighteen infants were fed and maintained on an elemental diet by mouth from time of admission until normal histologic findings and disaccharidases were found. No mortality occurred during management and follow-up. Twenty-two of the 28 infants in whom follow-up growth data were available excelled in weight and height velocity. The data suggest that prolonged injury to the small intestinal mucosa is a common finding in many cases of intractable diarrhea of infancy. Elemental diets should be started early in the course of protracted diarrhea in young infants, and may need to be continued for several months since histologic and enzymatic changes of the small intestine may persist for extended periods.

Body Height↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased serum antibody levels against cow's milk proteins in children with chronic liver disease.

We measured IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies to cow's milk proteins: alpha-casein, alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin, beta-lactoglobulin-a and beta-lactoglobulin-b in the sera of 29 pediatric patients with liver disease. IgG antibodies to bovine serum albumin, beta-lactoglobulin-a and beta-lactoglobulin-b and IgA antibodies to alpha-casein were elevated in most of the patients compared to age-matched controls. We postulate that, in patients with liver disease either increased intestinal uptake resulting in increased humoral response, or decreased hepatic clearance of food antigens intensifying a humoral response to these foreign antigens, may occur.

Adolescent↗