Protein Deficit Research Articles

Effect of age, sex and nutrition on discontinuous traits of rat skull.

The effect of biological (age and sex) and environmental factors (protein-calorie malnutrition and protein deficit) on 24 discontinuous cranial traits was investigated in Holtzman rats. The traits affected were (a) the interfrontal fusion, by age and nutrition; (b) the double posterior palatine foramen, by sex and nutrition, and (c) the double maxillary foramen, by nutrition. It is concluded that most of the traits studied were fairly stable. Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that taxonomic studies based on discontinuous cranial traits should be interpreted with care due to the influence of environmental and biological factors on the phenotypic expression of some of them.

The effects of race, sex, and nutrition on craniofacial differeniation in rats. A multivariate analysis.

Wistar and Holtzman rats were fed (a) control diet ad libitum (controls); (b) restricted control diet (undernourished); and (c) low-protein diet ad libitum (malnourished), from weaning to 70 days of age. Mahalanobis D2 distances between cranial groups were assessed. Besides, differences among traits were assessed by the analysis of variance and Tukey test. The relative influence of each factory yielded a decreasing sequence: protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM)-Protein deficit (PD)-race-sex. However, this sequence differed between races. The significant sexual dimorphism in Wistar controls disappeared because of PCM and PD. Race and sex, race and nutrition, and race, sex, and nutrition interacted. Traits were classified into: (a) specific, (b) nonspecific, and (c) invariable. The specific race traits were alveolar length and foraminal width. The specific nutritional traits were neurocranial and splanchnocranial length and heights, alveolar and neurocranial widths, and the neuro-splanchnocranial index (NSI) and the neurocranial vertico-transversal index (NVTI). There were no specific sexual traits. It was concluded that nutritional factors can modify a taxonomic distance in three different ways: (a) evoking morphological differences among populations of the same racial group, (b) altering differences among racial groups, and (c) modifying the pattern of sexual dimorphism of a population. It is suggested that craniological studies should take into account only the set of specific traits, disregarding both specific traits due to other factors and nonspecific ones.

Using Carbon Monoxide to Produce Single-Cell Protein

The world's increasing population will require large amounts of protein as human and animal feed. The protein deficit, especially in many Third World countries, has led to massive investment in research on single-cell protein (SCP). It is desirable to produce microbial protein on a very large scale from the cheapest available substrates.

Protein-calorie malnutrition in patients with colorectal cancer.

Protein-calorie malnutrition, as determined by anthropometric measures and laboratory tests, was assessed in 17 preoperative patients with colorectal cancer and 47 control patients. The cancer patients had significant deficits in visceral protein and skeletal muscle and no deficit in fat stores. Greater attention should be given to preoperative nutritional assessment and to the correction of protein deficits.

The effects of underfeeding for 6 months during pregnancy and lactation on blood constituents, milk yield and body weight of dairy cows

SummaryLong-term undernutritional stress is often a feature of sheep and beef cattle production, but has only become a major feature of dairy cattle husbandry in the United Kingdom in recent winters when food was short and expensive. An experiment was carried out to study the effects of long-term underfeeding during pregnancy and early lactation on some blood constituents, milk yield and composition and body weight of dairy cattle. Two groups of cattle were fed at 60 and 40% of the estimated requirements for maintenance and pregnancy or lactation for 13 weeks before and 13 weeks after calving, and one group was fed at the maintenance level only for the same period. A control group was fed at 100% of estimated requirements for this period. All groups were subsequently fed at the control level for a further 24 weeks.The experiment showed that cows undergoing long-term nutritional deprivation were able to maintain concentrations of blood constituents within narrow limits; the concentrations of such constituents as glucose or non-esterifled fatty acid did not reflect energy deficit or surplus. The animals remained clinically healthy during the underfeeding and recovery periods. The results suggest that debility occurring under field conditions in association with reduced food supply may be due to a multiplicity of factors or to severe imbalance of specific nutrients, rather than to energy or protein deficit alone.There was a difference in efficiency of utilization of energy of 19% between cows in the most severely underfed groups which maintained lactation and those which were not able to maintain lactation. There was evidence that this difference in efficiency was detectable within a few weeks of the start of the period of reduced nutrition. Animals which were less affected in the early stages of food deprivation were also those which maintained the advantage through the deprivation and recovery periods.

Neurotoxicity of a non-metabolizable amino acid, 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid: regional protein levels and lipid composition of nervous tissue.

Abstract— The non‐metabolizable amino acid, 1‐aminocyclopentane‐l‐carboxylic acid (ACPC), when administered to mice, induces primary degeneration of axons in the cerebellum, rostral spinal cord and peripheral nerves. One to 4 weeks after a single intraperitoneal injection of ACPC (0.5–2 mg/g body wt) in adult mice, the fresh and dry weights of brain, cerebellum and spinal cord were reduced compared with those of normal and pair‐fed controls. The protein content of all CNS regions, but particularly that of the cerebellum and cervical spinal cord, was lowered in ACPC‐treated mice relative to that of normal controls. Sciatic nerve protein was also decreased in mice following 2 mg/g of ACPC. Pair‐fed controls exhibited protein deficits in the cerebellum and cervical spinal cord but to a significantly smaller degree. In ACPC‐treated mice, the sulfatide content of spinal cord and peripheral nerve was reduced but that of brain was normal. Sphingomyelin levels in these three regions increased except in the brains of mice given 0.5 mg/g of ACPC where the levels fell.The protein and sulfatide deficits were greatest in the regions which are known to exhibit the highest proportion of degenerating nerve fibers. The correlation of ACPC treatment with protein and sulfatide loss is consistent with the reported disruptive effects of ACPC on protein metabolism and with the involvement of proteins in sulfatide. metabolism. The protein deficits in pair‐fed mice are considered in relation to the exacerbating effect of reduced dietary protein intake on ACPC neurotoxicity.

Solution of the differential equation describing the exchange process

Amanita phalloides, also known as ‘death cap’, is one of the most poisonous mushrooms, being involved in the majority of human fatal cases of mushroom poisoning worldwide. This species contains three main groups of toxins: amatoxins, phallotoxins, and virotoxins. From these, amatoxins, especially α-amanitin, are the main responsible for the toxic effects in humans. It is recognized that α-amanitin inhibits RNA polymerase II, causing protein deficit and ultimately cell death, although other mechanisms are thought to be involved. The liver is the main target organ of toxicity, but other organs are also affected, especially the kidneys. Intoxication symptoms usually appear after a latent period and may include gastrointestinal disorders followed by jaundice, seizures, and coma, culminating in death. Therapy consists in supportive measures, gastric decontamination, drug therapy and, ultimately, liver transplantation if clinical condition worsens. The discovery of an effective antidote is still a major unsolved issue. The present paper examines the clinical toxicology of A. phalloides, providing the currently available information on the mechanisms of toxicityinvolved and on the current knowledge on the treatment prescribed against this type of mushrooms. Antidotal perspectives will be raised as to set the pace to new and improved therapy against these mushrooms.

The effect of pyrithioxine and pyridoxine on individual behavior, social interactions, and learning in rats malnourished in early postnatal life.

Low protein (LP) or low calorie (LC) dietary regimens were applied in early postnatal life(1st-40th day of life) in male rats. After nutritional rehabilitation, open-field behavior in larger more illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), and smaller, less illuminated boxes (HI, high intensity stimulus), dyadic interactions, and learning ability were investigated in these animals as adults (between the 200th to 300th day of life). LP malnutrition induced an increase of open-field activity with features of sterotypy both in LI and HI situations, an increase number of intersignal reactions during learning procedures without changes in other registered criteria of learning ability (latency, number of correct responses), and an increase of aggressive behavior in pair interaction. LC rats revealed only significant inhibition in LI--open-field activity and a slightly increased number in intersignal reactions during avoidance learning. With the aim of preventing previously described long-term deviations in early malnourished rats, some groups of animals with the above-mentioned early calorie or protein deficits were treated with pyrithioxine (Encephabol Merck) or pyridoxine in 10 doses of 40 mg/kg i.p. administered in the period when nutritional rehabilitation was carried out (between the 40th--50th day of life). The treatment with pyrithioxine reduced significantly behavioral disturbances in adult LP rats except the increase of intersignal reactions which was even potentiated. Pyridoxine was less effective but normalized the increase number of intersignal reactions both in LP and LC rats. The effect of pyridoxine of adult LC rats was interesting. There was significant improvement in all registered parameters of avoidance learning and a significant increase of sexual acts was recorded.

Food intake, its relationship to body weight and age, and its apparent nutritional adequacy in New Guinean children

Previous nutritional investigations in New Guinea have shown low intakes of protein and of energy yet the nutritional status of children and their ability to thrive have been regarded as better than could be expected. To investigate this apparent paradox, the dietary intakes of 482 New Guinean children, aged 1-18 years, living in two contrasting environments near the coast (Kaul) and in a highland region (Lufa) were determined by a weighed individual inventory method over 5-7 consecutive days. Body weights and skinfold thicknesses were lower than those of European children of comparable ages. These findings are to be reported and discussed more fully in a separate publication. Roots and tubers provided most of the energy and protein in the bulky, vegetable diets. The contribution of foods bought in local trade stores was higher than has previously been reported. Fat intakes were low, supplying 17% of the dietary energy in Kaul and 10% in Lufa. Protein intakes were similarly low, representing only 6% of dietary energy. The chemical scores of the protein calculated using the latest suggested amino acid scoring pattern (FAO/WHO, 1973) were high, 75-95. Using the previous pattern, these were 57-64. The adequacy of the energy and protein contents of individual diets was assessed using the FAO/WHO (1973) standards. An energy deficit was more common than a protein deficit. A considerable proportion of the children (42% in Kaul and 20% in Lufa) had dietary intakes which were apparently deficient in energy or protein, but this finding did not correspond to other signs of undernutrition. This suggests that current standards may still be set too high for some groups or that adaptations to suboptimal dietary intakes occur that are not disclosed by the usual techniques of assessing nutritional status.

Effects of cuterebrid larval parasitism on deer-mouse metabolism.

As in many parasitized mammals, deer mice infested with cuterebrid botfly larvae had decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma albumin, and increased plasma globulin. These blood changes reflect a protein deficit in deer mice caused by larval uptake of body fluids including albumin. Deer mice increase their food intake in response to botfly infestation, and the botfly larvae use this increased food to grow rapidly without significantly increasing deer-mouse mortality.

Pasture improvement in Malawi: The introduction of legumes into various soil‐climate‐management ecosystems

Malawi is a tropical country with a strongly seasonal rainfall distribution pattern. The major livestock nutrition problem is the dry season (May to November) protein deficit which results in liveweight losses of up to 40 kg per beast. An attempt is being made to improve the protein nutrition using tropical pasture legumes. The national pasture research programme is based on a policy of finding productive pasture legumes to fit into the present edaphic and managerial environments with a minimum amount of modification to either. A range of proven pasture legumes has been introduced and screened over a range of climatic and edaphic environments. The following legumes exhibit high biological potential for well drained soils: Stylosanthes guyanensis cv. Schofield, S. humilis cv. Queensland Grown, S. humilis cv. Costal Early, S. humilis (BPI 404), Glycine wightii, Phaseolus atropurpureus cv. Siratro, Desmodium uncinatum and Leucaena leucocephala cv. Peru. The following legumes exhibit high potential for poorly drained dambo soils; S. guyanensis cv. Schofield, S. humilis cv. Queensland Grown, S. humilis cv. Costal Early, S. humilis (BPI 404) and Lotononis bainessi cv. Miles. Eleven principles of legume introduction into grazing systems are discussed.Keywords: pasture management|pasture development|legumes|soils|climates|management|ecosystems|seasonal rainfall|livestock|nutritional constraints|dry seasons|weight losses|proteins|nutrients|pastures|biological properties

Effect of Protein Deficiency during Gestation on Postnatal Cellular Development in the Young Rat

The effects of maternal protein deficit during pregnancy in rats on cell number and cell size in the organs of the progeny in the suckling period were studied. The effects of increased postnatal feeding of these progeny were also investigated. Pregnant rats were fed a diet containing 30% or 6% casein. Postnatally, young were suckled by nondeficient mothers in litters of eight until weaning or in litters which were cut to four young beginning at the age of 7 days. DNA, RNA, and total protein were determined in liver, kidney, heart, thymus, and brain of male young at 7, 14, and 21 days of age. Young of protein-deficient dams suckled in litters of eight had significantly decreased organ weights, DNA, total protein, and total RNA which persisted from birth but did not become more severe. When litters were cut to four in order to increase food intake, livers, kidneys, and hearts increased in weight and cells increased in size, but there were no significant changes in the numbers of cells in these organs. In the thymus, however, the number of cells increased, and cells decreased in size, while in the brain, the weight, DNA content, and apparent cell size were unaffected. The reduction of litter size had no effect on the deficit in cell population in any of the organs studied.

Liver diseases and osteoporosis in children: I. Clinical observations

Summary<ul><li>1.Of 7 children with glycogen storage disease, 9 with primary hepatic tumors, and 10 with hepatic cirrhosis, approximately two thirds of them had osteoporosis, and many also had muscle atrophy and growth retardation.</li><li>2.One child with benign hepatomashowed dramatic improvement after the tumor was removed.</li><li>3.These observations suggest that a systemicdeficit of protein may be an important etiological factor of osteoporosis in liver diseases.</li><li>4.The pathogenesis of protein deficit ineach type of liver disease has been considered.</li></ul>

Nutrition and the Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults

Considerable proteinuria, hypoalbumminemia, and edema are the main features of the nephrotic syndrome; other characteristic findings are described in outline. Methods for assessing the nutritional status of a typical nephrotic patient are discussed. Subcutaneous fat is present in normal amounts, but considerable deficit of body protein can be proved by nitrogen balance studies. Protein deficits can be roughly assessed after loss of edema by clinical examination and from body weight, if height, age, and subcutaneous fat measurements are taken into account. Restriction of dietary sodium is useful in delaying the extension of edema. Free intakes of water and other salts are advised. Special consideration is given both to protein and to calorie consumption. After examining evidence from published balance data, high intakes (e.g., 2.0–2.5 g protein and 45–50 calories/kg/day) are found beneficial and necessary for long periods. Such diets are made practicable by inclusion of large supplements of “salt-free” milk. Since treatment with the cortisone group of drugs is becoming widespread, the optimal diet to accompany it requires investigation. Current experience suggests that high protein, high calcium diets are still required, but that in convalescence there should be a progressive fall in calories, possibly best effected by reducing fat intake.

EXPERIMENTAL NEPHRITIS IN RATS INDUCED BY INJECTION OF ANTI-KIDNEY SERUM

The glomerulonephritis induced in rats by nephrotoxin was characterized clinically during its initial phase by severe albuminuria, cylindruria, and anasarca, but not by hematuria. Rapidly fatal nephritis was produced by injecting relatively large amounts of anti-kidney serum at frequent intervals. In such cases the blood urea mounted rapidly; the urea clearance fell; and death occurred within about 2 weeks. A milder nephritis of the chronic type was induced by giving smaller quantities of anti-kidney serum in either single or divided doses. In these instances there was no immediate alteration of the urea clearance. Lipemia and plasma protein deficit appeared with the development of anasarca. The majority of rats which survived the initial stage of this experimental nephritis continued to show marked albuminuria with casts until they died or were sacrificed months later. Some of these animals showed retardation of growth and a progressive fall of the urea clearance. Terminally there developed marked retention of urea, plasma protein deficit, anemia, and hypertension.