New values anthropometry for classification of nutritional status in the elderly.

Anthropometry provides information on the physical status of the individual and can be associated with aspects of health including nutritional status. Currently, the stratification of the arm and calf circumferences is classified into only two situations: "malnourished" and "well-nourished". A total of 513 interviews were conducted, and 391 elderly people (≥ 65 years) completed the assessment using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and anthropometry of selected samples of the population of Cuiabá-MT. The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was calculated for the elderly people, establishing five new reference values for circumferences, arm relaxed (RAC), abdomen (AC), and calf (CC) in centimeters (cm). The median age was 71 years (64% women and 36% men) and was correlated to the RAC (r=-0.180, p<0.001) and CC (r=-0.202, pp<0.001). The BMI obtained the median of 27 (15% malnourished, risk of malnutrition 13%, eutrophic 24%; overweight 33%, obese 16%), and it was correlated to the RAC (r=0.798, pp<0.001), AC (r=0.823 p p<0.001) and CC (r=0.605, pp<0.001). The MNA was 26 (malnourished 13.8%, risk of malnutrition 12.3%, well-nourished, 73.9%). The BMI stratification by morbidity vs no morbidity was 27.50 (n=287) and 24.4 (n=104) to total sample respectively (pp<0,05). The RAC x AC (r=0.798, pp<0.001), RAC x CC (r=0.648, pp<0.001), and CC x AC (r=0.496, pp<0.001) were correlated between themselves. The eutrophic classification by circumference for both genders: RAC=27.1-29.00 cm, AC=88.1-95.00 cm, CC=32.60-33.00 cm. There are more overweight and obese than malnourished, which is a risk factor for morbidity and MNA only identifies malnutrition. Circumferences showed good association with BMI and are easy to apply. Therefore, the proposal of the circumferences can simplify and expand the nutritional assessment.

Bilateral parasagittal parietooccipital polymicrogyria and epilepsy.

We describe 9 patients with a bilateral malformation of cortical development, centered around the parasagittal and mesial aspects of the parietooccipital cortex, with magnetic resonance imaging findings suggestive of polymicrogyria. No familial distribution or etiologic factors were identified. Location in a watershed area between anterior and posterior cerebral arteries suggests postmigratory perfusion failure as the underlying cause. In most patients the malformation was detected by magnetic resonance imaging after computed tomography scans with 10-mm-thick sections were considered normal. Seizures, present in all, had started between the ages of 20 months and 15 years (mean, 9 years) and were intractable in 7. Complex partial seizures with or without minor automatisms were the most frequent ictal pattern. In only 4 patients these were preceded by symptoms indicating posterior onset. Interictal electroencephalograms showed both diffuse and bilateral parietooccipital or temporal abnormalities. The range of IQ scores indicated average intelligence to mild retardation. Several patients presented deficits on neuropsychological tasks requiring performance under time constraints, suggesting that the malformation may result in cognitive slowing. Early diagnosis of this malformation may be difficult because of the lack of neurological signs, relatively late seizure onset, difficulty in localizing seizure onset, and inability to recognize the cortical abnormality on computed tomography scans.

Plasma membrane properties in heterogeneous human blood platelet subfractions modulate the cellular response at the second messenger level.

Three subfractions of human blood platelets differing in density and function exhibited also differences when EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) spin label measurements and fluorescence polarization were performed. The membrane anisotropy in the plasma membranes was higher in low density platelets as compared with that of platelets of intermediate and higher densities. This higher plasma membrane anisotropy correlated with a significantly higher cholesterol-phospholipid (C:P) molar ratio in the plasma membranes of low density platelets. As compared with the other platelet subfractions the low density platelets exhibited the smallest cAMP increase after activation with the aggregation inhibitor prostaglandin (PGE1), and the highest percentage of inositol phosphate accumulation after thrombin stimulation. The results suggest a high correlation between functional parameters and the plasma membrane architecture of human blood platelets.

Lowering of body core temperature by exposure to a cold environment and by a 5-HT1A agonist: effects on physiological and psychological variables and blood serotonin levels.

The present study was designed to compare the effects of a pharmacologically induced decrease in body core temperature to the effects observed with lowering of body temperature by exposure to a cold environment. Our special interest was the involvement of 5-HT in thermoregulatory responses. Sixty healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: exposure to normal ambient temperature (28 degrees C) and placebo, exposure to cold ambient temperature (5 degrees C) and placebo, or normal ambient temperature and 10 mg of the partial 5-HT1A agonist ipsapirone. As indicators of physiological responses to lowering of body temperature, tympanic temperature, skin temperature, EMA, metabolic rate, and heart rate were monitored and saliva cortisol levels and peripheral 5-HT concentrations were determined. In addition, ratings on ambient temperature, thermal discomfort, and feelings of irritability were obtained. While lowering of body core temperature was associated with marked counterregulations (decrease of skin temperature, increase in EMA and metabolic rate) and feelings of discomfort, this was not observed with ipsapirone. An increase in cortisol levels was primarily observed in the ipsapirone group and was not reflected by respective changes in whole blood or platelet 5-HT indicating that brain and platelet 5-HT are not related.

Demonstration and modification of intervillous pH profiles in rat small intestine in vitro.

The intervillous pH profiles along the crypt villus axis in different regions of the rat small intestine were measured in vitro by using pH-sensitive liquid ion-exchanger microelectrodes. A characteristic pH profile was observed in the duodenum and jejunum. A region of low pH was detected in the upper parts of the villi (pH 6.65 +/- 0.06 to 6.85 +/- 0.07), whereas pH at the villus base was always higher. In the ileum no gradient was observed (pH 7.26 +/- 0.05 to 7.31 +/- 0.05). Preincubation of the tissue in situ with 10 mM theophylline for 1 h caused an increase in the villus base pH in the jejunum (pH 7.24 +/- 0.04) and ileum (7.44 +/- 0.04) followed by a subsequent increase of the pH in the upper part of the villi. These results indicate that the low pH in the upper intervillous space may be related to H+ secretion occurring from the mature enterocytes, whereas the crypt cells may secrete a rather neutral or slightly alkaline fluid. Alkaline secretion from the crypts may be increased by theophylline, which changes the levels of cyclic nucleotides in the mucosa.

The effect of Escherichia coli STa enterotoxin and other secretagogues on mucosal surface pH of rat small intestine in vivo.

The mucosal surface pH of rat small intestine was measured in vivo. The surface pH in the normal jejunum was 6.20 +/- 0.02 (67) and 7.00 +/- 0.05 (5) in the ileum. Escherichia coli STa toxin induced a rapid and reversible alkalinization of both jejunal and ileal mucosae to a pH of 6.91 +/- 0.08 (10) and 7.67 +/- 0.06 (5) respectively. The synthetic ST analogue, STh-(6-19), had an effect identical to native STa toxin on jejunal surface pH. Theophylline (20 mM) maintained the STa-elevated jejunal surface pH after toxin removal but had no effect on untreated tissue. 8-Bromo cyclic GMP resembled STa by causing similar mucosal alkalinization in the jejunum; 8-bromo cyclic AMP, forskolin and cholera toxin individually had considerably smaller effects on surface pH, although combining forskolin or cholera toxin with theophylline resulted in alkalinization of the jejunal mucosa to a pH of 6.92 +/- 0.03 (5) and 6.76 +/- 0.04 (4). These results indicate that cyclic-GMP-dependent secretory processes are more capable of inducing surface pH changes than those dependent on cyclic AMP. The ability of STa to alter mucosal surface pH makes it a useful tool to investigate the microclimate hypothesis for weak electrolyte absorption.