Patterns of muscle and fat mass repair during recovery from advanced infantile protein-energy malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: This paper shows the pattern of body composition within the frame three-compartment model repair during recovery from advanced infantile protein-energy malnutrition. DESIGN: Body composition was assessed in 26 severely malnourished male infants aged 1-7 months at the time of their admission at Instituto Nacional de Pediatria in Mexico City and through the initial process of nutritional recovery (NR), by means of radiological, anthropometrical procedures and 24-h creatinine excretion at fortnightly intervals. Throughout of NR period all children were fed with milk formula (13-14% protein, 40% carbohydrates and the remainder fat). RESULTS: There was high frequencies of children's intakes were above the median (160 kCa1/k/d), but in last period their intakes were close to child normal requirements. Repletion of weight-for-height deficit was complete in all children. Leg-muscle roentgenographic area showed significantly increment in size only the first 15 days (P < 0.05). The leg-fat area showed size increments in all 15-day intervals (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The leg-bone area did not show any change during NR. Body Weight as well as arm and arm-fat-free areas and calculated total muscle and fat body mass augmented significantly during nutritional rehabilitation (P < 0.01). However, the ratio of muscle to body mass increased only during the first month of NR (P < 0.05), while absolute and relative fat mass did so during the whole observation period (P < 0.05). The remainder of body organ mass (EOM) did not suffer any change during all NR period. CONCLUSIONS: This dysrythmic repair of body compartments might offer explanation of certain features of psychomotor performance of infants recovering from severe protein-energy malnutrition.

Neonatal tetanus experience at the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City.

Clinical charts of 44 neonates admitted to the National Institute of Pediatrics with the diagnosis of neonatal tetanus from 1970 to 1990 were reviewed. All patients had an epidemiologic and clinical findings compatible with neonatal tetanus. Delivery had occurred at the homes of the patients in 89% of the cases and in 11% at clinics. The incubation periods ranged from 2 to 10 days, with a mean of 6.2 days. Cole's periods varied from 1 to 144 hours, with a mean of 21 hours. Spasticity, irritability, refusal to feed, lack of sucking and trismus were present in all cases. Thirty-three patients (70.4%) developed complications, the most frequent being sepsis and bronchopneumonia. The most frequent noninfectious complication was atelectasis, followed by renal failure and electrolytic imbalance. Overall mortality was 25%. It is noteworthy that in the most recent decade (1980 to 1990) mortality was 12.9%, considerably lower than that of the previous decade (1970 to 1980) which was 46.6% (P < 0.008). This decrease was probably a result of the greater availability of mechanical ventilation and the intensive care offered at neonatal services. Mortality was associated with the severity of the disease (P < 0.003) and with the presence of complications (P < 0.025).

[Uterine contraction induced by carbachol is inhibited by melatonin]. / La contracción uterina inducida por carbacol es inhibida por melatonina.

It has been suggested that the pineal gland has a specific role in the regulation of reproductive functions. Melatonin, secreted by pineal gland, is involved in the control of mammalian reproduction. Previous investigations have show that melatonin reduced the smooth muscle contraction. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of melatonin on the uterine contraction provoked by carbachol. This effect was studied in isolated uterus were taken from Wistar rats pretreated with diethylstilboestrol. Here, we describe the effects of various concentrations of melatonin was found to inhibit the carbachol-induced uterine contraction. Our results show that CE50 of carbachol increment in present to 10(-9) and 10(-6) M/ml of melatonin. The degree of the inhibitory effect of melatonin to concentration of 10(-9) M/ml is most evident that 10(-6) M/ml. Thus, it is concluded that melatonin has an pharmacological inhibition effect on the contraction uterine provoked by carbachol, act as physiological antagonist.

Effects of acute and chronic toluene inhalation on behavior, monoamine metabolism and specific binding (3H-serotonin and 3H-norepinephrine) of rat brain.

The present study deals with the effect of chronic toluene inhalation (30,000-40,000 ppm in air, 15 min/day for 30 days) that induced abnormal behavior states resembling the serotonin syndrome in rats: resting tremor, hindlimb abduction, Straub tail, head weaving and rigidity. The head weaving latencies were significantly decreased when assessed at 15 and 30 days of exposure to toluene vapors. The sequence pattern signs of serotonin syndrome were changed after 15 and 30 days of exposure, indicating possible cumulative effects and/or tolerance development. There were no changes in concentrations of indolamine and catecholamine compounds in different parts of the rat brain (cerebral cortex, midbrain, brainstem and cerebellum) as influence of chronic toluene exposure. Examination of specific serotonin ((3H)-5HT) to crude synaptic membranes prepared from rat brains and subjected to chronic toluene inhalation revealed a very high increased value in apparent Kd (30.7 +/- 15) with respect to its air control (9.7 +/- 2.3) and baseline control (5.8 +/- 3.2). This difference was highly significant (p < 0.02). There were no changes in apparent Bmax of specific (3H)-5HT binding sites. On the other hand (3H)-NE binding of rat brain studies did not show any difference either in apparent Kd or apparent Bmax. These results indicate that serotonin syndrome may be a consequence of changes of serotonergic mechanism, specifically a reduced affinity in specific (3H)-5HT binding sites.

Effects of chronic toluene inhalation on avoidance conditioned behavior in rats.

Thirty-two Wistar albino rats were distributed at random in a factorial design 2 x 2, with two age groups (20 and 90 days old), and two treatments (chronically exposed to toluene vapors 30,000-40,000 ppm in air/15 minutes per day for 30 days, and controls with only air). Twenty-four hours after the last exposure, the rats were tested for conditioned behavior in a "T" maze of avoidance electric shock. Latency of initial response to escape (LIRE) and latency of escape (LE) were measured in seconds. Adult rats both exposed to chronic toluene inhalation and non-exposed showed higher values of LIRE and LE with respect young rats. Animals exposed to chronic toluene inhalation also presented higher values of latency in both LIRE and LE when compared to non-exposed to toluene (controls) of the same age. The differences were evaluated by Friedman's test. The findings are suggestive of brain dysfunction associated with chronic toluene inhalation, and may represent a delay to respond to a displeasure stimulus probably due to defect of internal mechanisms of facilitation-inhibition of neural impulses, mediated by neurotransmitters.