ABSTRACT
We have studied the alkaline ribonuclease (RNase) activity in maternal serum and serum of full-term small- (T-SGA), full-term appropriate- (T-AGA) and preterm appropriate-for-gestational age (PT-AGA) newborns. A significantly lower level of RNase was observed in T-AGA and T-SGA newborns on the 30th day of age and in PT-AGA newborns on the 15th and 30th days of age, as compared to other T-AGA, T-SGA and PT-AGA groups of infants at birth. RNase activity was significantly higher in cord blood than in the maternal blood in all categories studied. Moreover, in preterm newborns, RNase activity in cord blood was significantly higher in those presenting a lower gestational age. We did not observe any significant difference in RNase levels in the cord blood of newborns from the 3 categories studied. The same results were observed concerning maternal blood. We, therefore, conclude that RNase activity in cord blood or in maternal blood is not a very satisfactory indicator of fetal malnutrition.
Subject(s)
Fetal Blood/enzymology , Infant, Premature , Infant, Small for Gestational Age , Ribonucleases/blood , Female , Fetal Growth Retardation/enzymology , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Placental Insufficiency/enzymology , PregnancyABSTRACT
The effect of protein-calorie malnutrition during gestation on the brain amino acids of rat pups was studied following nutritional recovery during lactation. The brain amino acids of rat pups born to dam rats malnourished during gestation were studied after these rat pups received proper nutrition during lactation. Pregnant rats were fed a 1% protein diet with total caloric intake restricted to half that of controls. After birth, the offspring of rats fed on deficient diets were nurtured up to the 28th day postpartum by foster mothers receiving adequate diets. At this time, the offspring were killed. The control group consisted of offspring from pregnant rats fed a diet with adequate protein (21%) and calories during the entire gestation and lactation period. Quantitation of brain amino acids in the pups at 28 days postpartum showed lower concentrations of essential and nonessential amino acids in the rats malnourished during gestation. Concentrations of histidine, glycine, and alpha-aminobutyric acid were all reduced. These findings demonstrate that the brains of rat pups malnourished during gestation show persistent decreases in specific brain amino acids after adequate postpartum nutrition.
Subject(s)
Amino Acids/metabolism , Brain/metabolism , Lactation , Nutrition Disorders/physiopathology , Placenta Diseases/physiopathology , Amino Acids, Essential/metabolism , Animals , Animals, Suckling/physiology , Dietary Proteins/administration & dosage , Energy Intake , Female , Organ Size , Placenta Diseases/metabolism , Pregnancy , Rats , Rats, Inbred StrainsABSTRACT
Rats were submitted to protein-calorie deprivation during different periods of gestation and the body weight and mortality of offspring were evaluated at 0, 28 and 90 days of age. The body weight was considered adequate (n) when the values were up to 2 SD below the mean values of control animals, or inadequate (d) when the values were below 2 SD. Rats of the control group (C) were fed ad libitum (protein 21%), and the rats of the experimental groups were fed during all gestational period (D), during the first half (D1) or second half of pregnancy (D2), with a diet containing 1% of protein, and the intake reduced to 50%. Significant differences were observed in the ponderal evolution for all experimental groups. Group D was the most damaged, with the greatest ponderal deficiency and the greatest mortality rates. Similar behavior was observed for D2. Group D1 was similar to C with the best results and the lowest mortality rate.
Subject(s)
Body Weight , Pregnancy Complications/physiopathology , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/physiopathology , Animals , Diet , Female , Growth , Pregnancy , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/mortality , Rats , Rats, Inbred StrainsABSTRACT
Rats were submitted to protein-caloric deprivation during different periods of gestation. Maternal body weight gain, duration of pregnancy and number of offspring were evaluated. Rats of the control group (C) were fed ad libitum (protein 21%), and rats of the experimental groups were fed during all gestational period (D), during the first half (D1) or second half of pregnancy (D2) with a diet containing 1% of protein, and the intake was reduced to 50%. We concluded that malnutrition during pregnancy induced lower maternal weight (C greater than D1 greater than D2 greater than D) and lower number of offspring ( [C = D1] greater than D2 greater than D). No differences were observed in the duration of pregnancy in all groups studied.
Subject(s)
Body Weight , Fertility , Pregnancy Complications/physiopathology , Protein-Energy Malnutrition/physiopathology , Animals , Diet , Female , Pregnancy , Rats , Rats, Inbred StrainsABSTRACT
Os autores verificaram a influencia da desnutricao proteico-calorica, em ratas, durante determinados periodos da gestacao, no que se refere a ganho de peso na gravidez, tempo de gestacao e numero de recemnascidos. Para tanto, foram constituidos quatro grupos experimentais: controle (C), receberam, a vontade, racao com 21% de proteinas; desnutrido toda gestacao (D), (D1), desnutrido na segunda metade da gestacao (D2). As ratas dos grupos desnutridos receberam racao com l% de proteina e em quantidade igual a metade da oferecida ao grupo C. Foram observadas diferencas significativas no ganho de peso entre os grupos estudados (C > D1 > D2 > D), sendo que o grupo D, em media, perdeu peso. Nao foram constatadas diferencas significativas quanto a duracao da gestacao e sim quanto ao numero de recem-nascidos (C=D1) > D2 > D
Subject(s)
Pregnancy , Female , Animals , Rats , Body Weight , Diet , Fertility , Protein-Energy MalnutritionABSTRACT
Ratas foram submetidas a desnutricao proteico-calorica durante varios periodos da gestacao e o peso corporal e mortalidade da ninhada foram estabelecidos aos 0,28 e 90 dias de vida. O peso corporal foi considerado adequado (n), quando se situava ate dois desvios-padrao abaixo da media de animais controles, ou inadequado (d) quando se situava abaixo de dois desviospadrao. As ratas do grupo controle (C) foram alimentadas ad libitum (proteina 21%) e os grupos experimentais foram alimentados durante toda a gestacao (D), na primeira metade (Dl) ou segunda metade (D2) com dieta contendo l% de proteina, sendo a quantidade oferecida reduzida a 50%. Foram observadas diferencas significativas na evolucao ponderal para todos os grupos experimentais. O grupo D foi o mais seriamente comprometido, com os maiores deficits ponderais e maiores indices de mortalidade; comportamento semelhante foi observado para o grupo D2. O grupo Dl apresentou comportamento proximo ao C, com os melhores resultados e menores indices de mortalidade
