Extended composite index of anthropometric failure in Argentinean preschool and school children.

OBJECTIVE: The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) can only be applied to children under 5 years of age and does not contemplate obesity. The aim of this study was to propose an Extended CIAF (ECIAF) that combines the characterization of malnutrition due to undernutrition and excess weight, and apply it in six Argentine provinces. DESIGN: ECIAF excludes children not in anthropometric failure (group A) and was calculated from a percentage of children included in malnutrition categories B: wasting only; C: wasting and underweight; D: wasting, stunting and underweight; E: stunting and underweight; F: stunting only; Y: underweight only; G: only weight excess; and H: stunting and weight excess. SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Chubut, Jujuy, Mendoza and Misiones (Argentina). PARTICIPANTS: 10 879 children of both sexes aged between 3 and 13·99. RESULTS: ECIAF in preschool children (3 to 4·99 years) was 15·1 %. The highest prevalence was registered in Mendoza (16·7 %) and the lowest in Misiones (12·0 %). In school children (5 to 13·99 years) ECIAF was 28·6 %. Mendoza also recorded the highest rate (30·7 %), while Catamarca and Chubut had the lowest values (27·0 %). In the whole sample, about 25 % of the malnutrition was caused by undernutrition and 75 % by excess weight. CONCLUSIONS: The ECIAF summarizes anthropometric failure by both deficiency and excess weight and it highlights that a quarter of the malnutrition in the Argentine population was caused by undernutrition, although there are differences between Provinces (P < 0·05). ECIAF estimates are higher than those of CIAF or under-nutrition.

Estado nutricional, composición corporal y enteroparasitosis en escolares del departamento de San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina / Nutritional Status, body composition and enteroparasitoses among schoolchildren in department of San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina

Introducción: El crecimiento de los niños y jóvenes es considerado un indicador sensible de la calidad del ambiente social, económico y político en el cual ellos viven. Esto conduce a la necesidad de avanzar en el conocimiento de la compleja interacción existente entre factores biológicos y ambientales. Objetivo: Analizar el estado nutricional, la composición corporal y las enteroparasitosis de niños del departamento de San Rafael (Mendoza), considerando las condiciones socio-ambientales de residencia. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio antropométrico y parasitológico transversal que incluyó 615 niños, de ambos sexos, asistentes a escuelas públicas del departamento de San Rafael, Mendoza. A fin de determinar el estado nutricional y la composición corporal de los niños se empleó la referencia NHANES III y para el análisis parasitológico la técnica de concentración de Ritchie modificada y escobillado anal. La caracterización socio-ambiental de cada niño se realizó mediante encuesta autoadministrada y semiestructurada. Resultados: El estado nutricional indicó mayor desnutrición crónica (8,9%) respecto a la global (1,9%) y aguda (0,2%) y mayor obesidad (10,4%) en comparación al sobrepeso (9,1%). El análisis de composición corporal de los niños desnutridos indicó que el 56,7% de ellos presentó disminución del tejido muscular y el 1,7% de tejido adiposo. También el 5% de los niños con exceso de peso tuvieron disminución de tejido muscular. Por otra parte, el 62,4% de la población resultó parasitada por al menos una especie, siendo la riqueza específica de 10, con mayores prevalencias para Blastocystis hominis (45,0%) y Enterobius vermicularis (24,7%). El nivel educativo materno influyó en la malnutrición, como en la presencia de enteroparásitos. Conclusiones: Sin dudas la educación materna juega un papel importante en la etiología de la malnutrición, por déficit y exceso, y también en las parasitosis. Asimismo, las condiciones de precariedad sanitaria resultan determinantes en el desarrollo de enteroparasitosis. Revertir esta situación y erradicar la cronicidad constituye un desafío para las autoridades que tienen a su cargo el diseño y la implementación de políticas sanitarias y educativas (AU)

ntroduction: The growth of children and young people is considered a sensitive indicator of the quality of social, economic and political environment in which they live. This leads to the need to of a deeper understanding of the complex interaction between biological and environmental factors. Objective: To analyze the nutritional status, body composition and enteroparasitoses in children from the department of San Rafael (Mendoza), taking into account the socio-environmental conditions of residence. Methods: A cross-sectional anthropometric and parasitological study was made, on 615 children, both girls and boys, attending public school of the department of San Rafael, Mendoza. The NHANES III reference was employed to determine the nutritional status and body composition of the children. The parasitological analyses was made by means of the modified Ritchie concentration technique, and anal swabs were also taken. The socio-environmental characterization of each children was performed by semi-structured and self-administered interview. Results: Nutritional status indicated higher chronic malnutrition (8.9%) followed by underweight (1.9%) and wasting (0.2%). At last, there was more obesity (10.4%) than overweight (9.1 %). The analysis of body composition of malnourished children indicated that 56.7% of the children had decreased muscle tissue and 1.7% adipose tissue. Also, 5% of the children with overweight had a decrease in the muscle tissue. Moreover, 62.4% of the population turned out parasitized by at least one species, with species richness of 10, and higher prevalences of Blastocystis hominis (45.0%) and Enterobius vermicularis (24.7%). The maternal educational level influenced in the malnutrition, as well as in the presence of intestinal parasites. Conclusions: Undoubtedly maternal education plays an important role in the etiology of malnutrition, both by deficit or excess, and also in the parasitism. Likewise, precarious health conditions are critical in the development of intestinal parasites. The reversal of this situation and the eradication of chronicity should constitute a challenge for the authorities that are responsible for the design and implementation of health and education policies (AU)

Epinephrine intracerebroventricular stimulation modifies the LH effect on ovarian progesterone and androstenedione release.

This study investigates the interaction between the effect of epinephrine intracerebroventricular (icv) injection and LH on the progesterone concentration in ovarian vein blood (Po) in vivo, and also, on the release of ovarian progesterone and androstenedione in vitro, in rats on dioestrus day 2. When 2 mg ovine LH were injected in vein (i.v.), Po increased reaching 120+/-12.2 and 151+/-17.5 ng ml(-1) at 22 and 25 min, respectively. Another group of rats was injected intracerebroventricular with 5 microgram epinephrine at time zero, and with 2 mg ovine LH i.v. 3 min later. This time Po decreased during the first 3 min, then increased, reaching 64+/-7.1 ng ml(-1) at 25 min, lower than the Po obtained 22 min after LH i.v. injection only (P<0.01). Moreover, rats were injected i.v. with 2 mg ovine LH at time zero, and 7 min later with epinephrine intracerebroventricular. Po increased during the first 7 min, decreased until the 13th minute and reached 70+/-8.9 ng ml(-1) at 25 min, lower than the Po obtained 25 min after LH i.v. injection only (P<0.01). In other experience, rats with one (either right or left) superior ovarian nerve transected (SON-t), were injected intracerebroventricular with epinephrine. Five minutes later, the ovaries were removed and incubated in vitro with LH. Both ovaries (right or left) in which the SON was intact at time of epinephrine i. c.v. injection, showed a reduction of progesterone and androstenedione released in vitro (P<0.05). These results suggest that, on dioestrus day 2, the central adrenergic stimulus competes with LH in the release of ovarian progesterone. Also, the neural input that arrives at the ovary through the SON would antagonize the ovarian progesterone and androstenedione response to LH.

[Variations in the contents of calcium, phosphate, magnesium and sodium in bones of castrated male rats]. / Variaciones en el contenido de calcio, fosfato, magnesio y sodio en huesos de ratas macho castradas.

Bilateral castration (TX) or sham surgery--respectively--was performed in two groups of twelve male Holtzman rats, 90 days old. Food was available ad libitum to sham-operated rats, and it was restricted to TX ones. After castration, at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days, a segment of the tails was sectioned. At 150 days all rats were subjected to bone mineral densitometry (BMD), sacrificed and the left femurs excised. With the tail's bones (TB) and the femur we determined ash and the concentration of Ca++, PO4(-3), Mg++ and Na+. In the TB, at 30 days the ash and the concentrations of Ca++ and PO4(-3), decreased (p < 0.05) in the TX rats. At 60 days the ash and all analysed ions were reduced (p < 0.05 and p < 0.025) in the TX rats. The decreases were major forward. The more significative decreases in the TB were: in Ca++ at 90 days (p < 0.005); in the ash at 120 days (p < 0.005); in PO4(-3), Mg++ and Na+ at 150 days (p < 0.005). All ions' concentrations and the ash were statistically equal between the TB and the femurs after 150 days of castration. At the same time, the BMD was significantly less (p < 0.05) in the TX rats. The body weigh of the two group was statistically equal during the 150 days. Our results suggest that in 90 days old castrated male rats, the ash and the concentration of calcium, phosphate, magnesium and sodium in the TB are good indicators of bone mass loss, after 30 and 60 days of castration. Besides, 150 days post castration, the ash and the analysed ions are equal in the femur and in the TB. Moreover, the ions' concentrations were better indicators of the bone mass loss than the BMD.

Adrenergic intracerebroventricular stimulation affects progesterone concentration in the ovarian vein of the rat: participation of the superior ovarian nerve.

The present study investigates the acute consequences of central adrenergic stimulation on the release of steroids from the ovary. The influence of the superior ovarian nerve (SON) and the relationship between the neural effect and peripheral LH levels were also examined. The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 5 microg epinephrine in SON-intact rats on day 1 of dioestrus (D1) increased progesterone levels in ovarian vein blood from 7 to 21 min after injection but the same injection in SON-intact rats on day 2 of dioestrus (D2) decreased progesterone levels in ovarian vein blood from 1 to 25 min. A smaller dose (0.5 microg) of epinephrine injected i.c.v. in SON-intact rats produced a decrease in progesterone levels in ovarian vein blood of shorter duration. In SON-transected (SONt) animals, 0.5 microg epinephrine i.c.v. caused a smaller decrease in progesterone levels compared with SON-intact rats (P<0.05). On the other hand, in SON-intact rats on D2, the i.c. v. injection of 0.5 microg epinephrine did not modify the peripheral LH levels during 25 min, but 5 microg epinephrine injected i.c.v. raised the peripheral LH level from the third minute after injection (P<0.05). Oestradiol levels in the ovarian vein blood did not change after epinephrine i.c.v. injection in rats on D2. To avoid any humoral influence, SONt and SON-intact rats on D2 were injected i.c.v. with 5 microg epinephrine or with vehicle, and 5 min later the ovaries were incubated in vitro with or without LH. Under these conditions, it was demonstrated that the previous injection of epinephrine in SON-intact rats resulted in a diminished release of progesterone from ovaries incubated with or without LH. These results suggest that a central adrenergic stimulus increases progesterone release from the ovary on D1 and decreases it on D2. Also, this neural input would arrive at the ovary through the SON, and would condition the ovarian response to LH on D2. Ovarian progesterone changes could be attributed to signals coming from ganglionar neurons, which are affected by the central adrenergic stimulation.