Protein-energy status and 15N-glycine kinetic study of child a cirrhotic patients fed low- to high-protein energy diets

In five male cirrhotic patients (Child A) and in four age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects, whole-body protein turnover was measured using a single oral dose of N-15-glycine as a tracer and urinary ammonia as end product. Subjects were studied in the fasting and feeding state, with different levels of protein and energy intake. The patients were underweight and presented lower plasma transthyretin and retinol-binding protein levels. When compared with controls, the kinetic studies showed patients to be hypometabolic in the fasting (Do) state and with the control diet [D-1 = (0.85 g of protein/154 kJ). kg(-1). day(-1)]. However, when corrected by body weight, the kinetic differences between groups disappeared, whereas the N-retention in the feeding state showed better results for the patients due mainly to their efficient breakdown decrease. When fed high-level protein or energy diets [D-2 = (0.9 g protein/195 kJ) and D-3 = (1.56 g protein/158 kJ). kg(-1). day(-1)], the patients showed D-0 = D-1 = D-2 < D-3 for N-flux and (D-0 = D-1) < D-3 (D-2 is intermediary) for protein synthesis. Thus, the present data suggest that the remaining mass of the undernourished mild cirrhotic patients has fairly good protein synthesis activity and also that protein, rather than energy intake, would be the limiting factor for increasing their whole-body protein synthesis.

Protein-energy malnutrition as a consequence of the hospitalization of gastroenterologic patients

The effects of the clinical and dietetics in patient managements on the protein-energy status of hospitalized patients were retrospectively (four yr) investigated in 243 adult (49 +/- 16 yr), male (168) and female (75) patients suffering from chronic liver diseases (42%), intestinal diseases with diarrhea (14%), digestive cancers (11%), chronic pancreatitis (10%), stomach and duodenum diseases (7%), acute pancreatitis (7%), primary protein-energy malnutrition (3%), esophagus diseases (3%), intestinal diseases with constipation 14 (2%) and chronic alcoholism (2%). The protein-energy nutritional status assessed by combinations of anthropometric and blood parameters showed 75% of protein energy malnutrition at the hospital entry mostly (4/5) in severe and moderate grades. The overall average of hospitalization was 20 +/- 15 days being the shortest (13 +/- 5,7 days) for esophagus diseases and the longest (28 +/- 21 days) for the intestinal diseases with diarrhea patients which also received mostly (42%) of the enteral and/or parenteral feedings followed by acute pacreatitis (41%) and digestive cancers (31%) patients. When compared to the entry the protein-energy malnutrition rate at the discharge decreased only 5% despite the increasing of 30% found on the protein-energy intake. The main improvement of the protein-energy nutritional status were attained to those patients showing protein-energy malnutrition milder degrees at the entry which belonged mostly to primary protein-energy malnutrition, acute pancreatitis and intestinal diseases with diarrhea diseases. The later two groups showed protein-energy nutritional status improvement only after the second week of hospitalization. The digestive cancers patients had their protein-energy nutritional status worsened throughout the hospitalization whereas it happened only in the first week for the intestinal diseases with diarrhea and chronic liver diseases patients, improving thereafter up to the discharge. The protein-energy nutritional status improvement found in few patients could be attributed to some complementary factors such as theirs mild degree of protein-energy malnutrition at entry and/or non-invasive propedeutics and/or enteral-parenteral feddings and/or longer hospitalization staying. The institutional causes for the unexpected lack of nutritional responses by the patients were probably the high demand for the few available beds which favour the hospitalization of the most severed patients and the university-teaching pressure for the high rotation of the available beds. Both often resulting in early discharging. In persisting the current physical area and attendance demand one could suggest an aggressive support early at the entry preceding and/or accompanying the more invasive propedeutical procedures.

Antropometria de atletas culturistas em relacao a referencia populacional

Body builders have as their training goals the maximum muscle hypertrophy with minimum adiposity. However, the scarcity of specific standards implies often in framing wrongly those athletes either as overweight (by their BMI) or energy malnourished (by their fat stores). The objective of this study was to compare the body composition of body builders with population standards. Thirty-six adults, 26 male (27.2 ± 7.2 years) and 10 female (30 ± 6.1 years) nationwide competitive body builders, were assessed considering weight, height, body mass index, adiposity, arm and leg circumferences and skinfolds. The data were referred either as percentile or standard deviations (Z score) of population standards. Body weight and height were among the closest values from the populational mean whereas upper arm muscle circumference (for men) and body adiposity (for women) were the farterest. By using fat parameters as indicators of their protein-energy status, the undernourishment was found in 88.5% of men and 100.0% of women. Thus, it seems that body builders deserve their own anthropometric standards to avoid nutritional status misplacements.

Efeito da suplementação com monensina no pré e pós-parto nas concentrações plasmáticas de AGNE, IGF-1 no diâmetro do maior folículo e na sua capacidade ovulatória a um estímulo com GnRH de vacas Nelore

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The effect of offering an energy and protein supplement to grazing canchim beef cows either postpartum or both pre- and postpartum on lipid blood metabolites and folliculogenesis

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of nutritional supplementation offered during the pre- and postpartum periods on serum cholesterol, triglycerides and total lipids of Canchim beef cows and their relationship with folliculogenesis. Thirty cows with predicted calving date between September and October, kept in pastures of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu together with their calves, were randomly distributed into three experimental groups: the first received only a mineral mixture (Control Group, CG); the second group received a concentrate with 16% crude protein/kg dry matter (DM) and 3000 kcal digestible energy/kg DM offered for 45 days prepartum and 120 days postpartum (PREG); the third group received the concentrate from parturition until the 120th day postpartum (POSG). Consumption was estimated at 1% of body weight, and each cow received approximately 4.0 kg/day (fresh weight) of supplement. Blood samples were taken and an ultrasound examination of the ovaries was performed twice a week until the 60th day postpartum. The body condition score (BCS) and the weight of the cows were recorded at 15-day intervals from calving until the 60th day postpartum. Data are presented as mean +/- SEM. Mean weight and BCS at calving were, respectively, 448 +/- 54.9 kg and 6.2 +/- 0.25 (PREG); 432 +/- 71.1 kg and 5.5 +/- 0.69 (POSG); and 434 +/- 66.4 kg and 5.5 +/- 0.69 (CG). Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TRIG) and total lipids (TLIP) were measured using colorimetry until the 60th day postpartum. TC averages were PREG 186 +/- 62.6 mg/dL, POSG 159 +/- 43.1 mg/dL and CG 133 +/- 35.1 mg/dL (P < 0.05). For TRIG, the means were PREG 29 +/- 11.3 mg/dL (P < 0.05), POSG 24 +/- 8.1 mg/dL and CG 26 +/- 12.1 mg/dL (P > 0.05). Serum concentrations of TLIP were PREG 588 +/- 145.6 mg/dL, POSG 512 +/- 137.6 mg/dL and CG 452 +/- 122.4 mg/dL (P < 0.05). The first dominant follicle (DF) was identified on Day 21 +/- 10.3 (PREG), 36 +/- 28.5 (POSG) and 51 +/- 32.8 (CG) after calving. The difference between PREG and CG was significant (P < 0.05). TC was positively correlated with the calving to first estrus interval (P < 0.05). Results showed that nutritional supplementation before parturition assured good body condition at calving and suggested that it was effective at increasing cholesterol availability to maintain ovarian follicle function and to favor earlier resumption of ovarian activity. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of low fat and babassu fat diets on nutritional status in obstructive cholestasis in young rats

OBJETIVO: Testar os efeitos de uma dieta com baixo teor de gordura comparada a uma dieta com gordura de babaçu sobre o estado nutricional em ratos jovens com colestase obstrutiva. MÉTODOS: Submetemos 40 ratos divididos em quatro grupos de 10 animais a partir do P21 (21º dia pós-natal) até o P49 a dois dos seguintes tratamentos: ligadura e ressecção do ducto biliar comum ou operação simulada e dieta com baixo teor de gordura (óleo de milho fornecendo 4,5% da quantidade total de calorias) ou dieta com gordura de babaçu (essa gordura fornecendo 32,7% e óleo de milho fornecendo 1,7% da quantidade total de calorias). Foi mensurado o ganho de peso a cada 4 dias do P25 ao P49. A função de crescimento de Verhulst foi ajustada aos valores de ganho de peso. A velocidade e a aceleração de crescimento nos mesmos momentos foram estimadas usando a mesma equação. Foram mensurados: quantidade de ração ingerida e ingestão energética total do P21 ao P49, utilização de energia do P25 ao P49, gordura absorvida e balanço de nitrogênio (BN) do P42 ao P49. A ANOVA com dois fatores e o método de S.N.K para comparações pareadas foram utilizados para estudar os efeitos, sobre as variáveis, da colestase e das dietas e sua interação (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: em ratos com colestase e dieta com baixo teor de gordura, houve maior velocidade de crescimento no P45, maior aceleração de crescimento no P41 e P45, maior utilização de energia, maior percentual de gordura absorvida e maior BN do que em ratos com colestase e dieta com gordura de babaçu. CONCLUSÃO: A dieta com baixo teor de gordura atenua a restrição de crescimento provocada pela colestase e proporciona melhor aproveitamento da dieta e maior incorporação da proteína ingerida do que a dieta com gordura de babaçu.

Resting energy expenditure and carbohydrate oxidation are higher in elderly patients with COPD: a case control study

Background: Elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) usually have a compromised nutritional status which is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality. To know the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and the substrate oxidation measurement is essential to prevent these complications. This study aimed to compare the REE, respiratory quotient (RQ) and body composition between patients with and without COPD.Methods: This case-control study assessed 20 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attending a pulmonary rehabilitation program. The group of subjects without COPD (control group) consisted of 20 elderly patients attending a university gym, patients of a private service and a public healthy care. Consumption of oxygen (O-2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) was determined by indirect calorimetry and used for calculating the resting energy expenditure and respiratory quotient. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were also measured. Percentage of body fat (%BF), lean mass (kg) and muscle mass (kg) were determined by bioimpedance. The fat free mass index (FFMI) and muscle mass index (MMI) were then calculated.Results: The COPD group had lower BMI than control (p = 0.02). However, WC, % BF, FFMI and MM-I did not differ between the groups. The COPD group had greater RQ (p = 0.01), REE (p = 0.009) and carbohydrate oxidation (p = 0.002).Conclusions: Elderly patients with COPD had higher REE, RQ and carbohydrate oxidation than controls.

Energy system contributions in indoor rock climbing

The present study cross-sectionally investigated the influence of training status, route difficulty and upper body aerobic and anaerobic performance of climbers on the energetics of indoor rock climbing. Six elite climbers (EC) and seven recreational climbers ( RC) were submitted to the following laboratory tests: ( a) anthropometry, (b) upper body aerobic power, and ( c) upper body Wingate test. on another occasion, EC subjects climbed an easy, a moderate, and a difficult route, whereas RC subjects climbed only the easy route. The fractions of the aerobic (WAER), anaerobic alactic (W-PCR) and anaerobic lactic (W-[La(])-) systems were calculated based on oxygen uptake, the fast component of excess post-exercise oxygen uptake, and changes in net blood lactate, respectively. on the easy route, the metabolic cost was significantly lower in EC [ 40.3 ( 6.5) kJ] than in RC [60.1 ( 8.8) kJ] ( P < 0.05). The respective contributions of the WAER, WPCR, and W-[La(])- systems in EC were: easy route = 41.5 (8.1), 41.1 (11.4) and 17.4% (5.4), moderate route = 45.8 (8.4), 34.6 (7.1) and 21.9% (6.3), and difficult route = 41.9 (7.4), 35.8 (6.7) and 22.3% (7.2). The contributions of the WAER, WPCR, and W-[La(])- systems in RC subjects climbing an easy route were 39.7 (5.0), 34.0 (5.8), and 26.3% (3.8), respectively. These results indicate that the main energy systems required during indoor rock climbing are the aerobic and anaerobic alactic systems. In addition, climbing economy seems to be more important for the performance of these athletes than improved energy metabolism.

Status of a hybrid three-neutrino interpretation of neutrino data

We re-analyse the non-standard interaction (NSI) solutions to the solar neutrino problem in the light of the latest solar as well as atmospheric neutrino data. The latter require oscillations (OSC), while the former do not. Within such a three-neutrino framework the solar and atmospheric neutrino sectors are connected not only by the neutrino mixing angle theta(13) constrained by reactor and atmospheric data, but also by the flavour-changing (FC) and non-universal (NU) parameters accounting for the solar data. Since the NSI solution is energy-independent the spectrum is undistorted, so that the global analysis observables are the solar neutrino rates in all experiments as well as the Super-Kamiokande day-night measurements. We find that the NSI description of solar data is slightly better than that of the OSC solution and that the allowed NSI regions are determined mainly by the rate analysis. By using a few simplified ansatzes for the NSI interactions we explicitly demonstrate that the NSI values indicated by the solar data analysis are fully acceptable also for the atmospheric data. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopy properties and energy level location of Gd(2)O(2)S:Pr(3+),Ce(3+)

In this work we propose the study of the spectroscopy properties and the energy level location of Ce(3+) and Pr(3+) in Gd(2)O(2)S, along with the effects of Ce(4+) (Ce(2)O(2)S(2)) incorporation in Gd(2)O(2)S and Gd(2)O(2)S: Pr(3+) in order to understand the formation and position of the associated defects energy levels in relation to the band structure of Gd(2)O(2)S and Pr(3+) energy levels. Ce-, Pr(3+)-doped and Pr(3+), Ce-doped Gd(2)O(2)S were prepared by the sulfidization of a basic gadolinium carbonate with S(8) using H(2)/N(2) (3.0/97.0%) and air during the firing of the precursor. Samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction in order to guarantee the formation of the Gd(2)O(2)S single phase. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and luminescent measurements (emission/excitation) were used to locate Ce(3+), Pr(3+) and defects energy levels in relation to the band structure of Gd(2)O(2)S. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Whole-body protein turnover in malnourished patients with child class B and C cirrhosis on diets low to high in protein energy

The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of whole-body protein turnover in moderately and severely alcoholic, malnourished, cirrhotic patients fed with different amounts of protein or energy. Six male patients (Child classes B and C) and four age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were studied for 18 d in fasting and feeding states; a single oral dose of [N-15]glycine was used as a tracer and urinary ammonia was the end product. The kinetic study showed that patients had higher protein catabolism while fasting (patients: 3.14 +/- 1.2 g of lean body mass/9 h; controls: 1.8 +/- 0.3 g of lean body mass/9 h: P<0.02). Although not statistically significant, protein catabolism (grams of lean body mass/9 h) was lower with the hyperproreic/hyperenergetic diet when compared with fasting. Nitrogen retention was consistent with the lower protein-catabolism rate; a statistically significant increase in nitrogen balance was observed when patients were fed with the hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet compared with fasting 14.3 +/- 3.2 g of nitrogen/d and -2.2 +/- 1.9 g of nitrogen/d, respectively; P < 0.01). These data indicate that Child class B and C cirrhotic patients are hypercatabolic and that Long-term nutritional intervention with a hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet is likely needed to improve their clinical and nutritional status. Nutrition 2001;17:239-242. (C) Elsevier B.V. 2001.

THE ENERGY BARRIER FOR ELECTRON TRAPPING IN ALXGA1-XAS

Transient decay of persistent photoconductivity measurements are carried out in samples of different compositions. The capture barrier for electron trapping by DX centers is obtained using a method which employs the Brooks-Herring equation for the electronic mobility. The effect of polarization of the screening cloud is analysed using Takimoto's potential and specifies the limits of applicability of the Brooks-Herring equation in AlxGa1-xAs.

A Biophysical Evaluation of a MSW-to-energy System

A biophysical understanding of the MSW-to-energy facility located at the Sao Joao landfill in São Paulo is performed using emergy synthesis. The implementation of a plan for environmental compensation in fulfillment of State's requirements was also assessed. Emergy based indices are calculated to assess the environmental pressure and sustainability status of the biogas project. The study was conducted by combining the study of emergy indicators and the net emergy yield ratio to determine long-term sustainability and measure global environmental stress. The Emergy investment to the use of biogas is relatively low and profitable. The implementation of the project for environmental compensation does not change the Emergy investment significantly, but the energy recovery is high. The conclusions justify the effort invested in developing MSW-to-energy plants and are applicable for policy makers in a highly sensitive sector to achieve sustainability goals - recovery of energy.

Assessment of vitamin A status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and healthy smokers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Plasma levels of transthyretin and retinol-binding protein in child-a cirrhotic patients in relation to protein-calorie status and plasma amino acids, zinc, vitamin a and plasma thyroid hormones

Transthyretin and retinal-binding protein are sensitive markers of acute protein-calorie malnutrition both for early diagnosis and dietary evaluation. A preliminary study showed that retinal-binding protein is the most sensitive marker of protein-calorie malnutrition in cirrhotic patients, even those with the mild form of the disease (Child A). However, in addition to being affected by protein-calorie malnutrition, the levels of these short half-life-liver-produced proteins are also influenced by other factors of a nutritional (zinc, tryptophan, vitamin A, etc) and non-nutritional (sex, aging, hormones, renal and liver functions and inflammatory activity) nature. These interactions were investigated in 11 adult male patients (49.9 ± 9.2 years of age) with alcoholic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh grade A) and with normal renal function. Both transthyretin and retinol binding protein were reduced below normal levels in 55% of the patients, in close agreement with their plasma levels of retinal. In 67% of the patients (4/6), the reduced levels of transthyretin and retinal-binding protein were caused by altered liver function and in 50% (3/6) they were caused by protein-calorie malnutrition. Thus, the present data, taken as a whole, indicate that reduced transthyretin and retinal-binding protein levels in mild cirrhosis of the liver are mainly due to liver failure and/or vitamin A status rather than representing an isolated protein-calorie malnutrition indicator.