[Effect of an oral hyperproteic nutritional supplement in malnourished elderly patients in nursing homes]. / Efecto de un suplemento nutricional oral hiperproteico en pacientes desnutridos ubicados en residencias geriátricas.

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional problems develop complications in geriatric patients and increase their morbidity and mortality. Hyperproteic nutritional supplements are one of the options to improve nutritional deficiencies. OBJECTIVES: To assess the beneficial effect and tolerance of one hyperproteic nutritional supplement (Ensure Plus High Protein, Abbott Laboratories, S.A.) in malnourished subjects over 65 years. METHODS: Observational, prospective, open, multicenter study. We included malnourished subjects over 65 years living in nursing homes located in Spain. Malnutrition was considered as GNRI score < 92 or BMI < 19. Before inclusion, we obtained signed informed consent of patients or their relatives. All participants received Ensure Plus High Protein for 8 weeks. The primary endpoints were changes observed in weight, BMI and GNRI. RESULTS: We analyzed 255 evaluable patients valid for intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis and 243 for the per-protocol (PP) analysis; 69% (n = 172) were female and 31% (n = 77) male. The average protein amount administered was 51 g/day. At the end of the study, statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were found in weight, BMI and GNRI when compared to baseline, both in the ITT and the PP analysis. The average weight increase was (mean +/- SE) 2.86 +/- 0.13 kg for PP analysis; 80% of participants (n = 202) achieved a weight gain > 1 kg and 96 patients (39.5% PP analysis) had a weight gain > 7%. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of a hyperproteic oral nutritional supplement contributes positively in improving the nutritional status of our study malnourished geriatric patients in terms of significant increase in body weight, BMI and GNRI.

Revised superconducting phase diagram of hole-doped Na(x)(H3O)(z)CoO2 x yH(2)O.

We have studied the superconducting phase diagram of NaxCoO2.yH(2)O as a function of electronic doping, characterizing our samples both in terms of Na content x and the Co valence state. Our findings are consistent with a recent report that intercalation of H3O+ ions into NaxCoO2, together with water, acts as an additional dopant, indicating that Na substoichiometry alone does not control the electronic doping of these materials. We find a superconducting phase diagram where optimal T(C) is achieved through a Co valence range of 3.24-3.35, while T(C) decreases for materials with a higher Co valence. The critical role of dimensionality in achieving superconductivity is highlighted by similarly doped nonsuperconducting anhydrous samples, differing from the superconducting hydrate only in interlayer spacing.

Food deprivation and refeeding in Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar: effects on brain and liver carbohydrate and ketone bodies metabolism.

The capacity of carbohydrate and ketone bodies metabolism in brain and liver was evaluated in fed and food-deprived Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in a time period covering from 1 to 7 days (Experiment I), and in Atlantic salmon food deprived for 6 weeks, and food deprived for 4 weeks and refed for 2 weeks (Experiment II). The results obtained demonstrate for the first time in a teleost the existence of changes in brain metabolism due to food deprivation. Thus, decreased glucose levels in plasma are reflected in the brain by an increased mobilization of glycogen reserves, and by a decreased glycolytic capacity. Also, ketone bodies appear to increase their importance as a metabolic fuel from day 7 of food deprivation onwards. A possible increase in the gluconeogenic potential in brain simultaneously is not discarded. All these metabolic changes are reversed under refeeding conditions.

Effects of acute ethanol administration on regional serotonin turnover.

Numerous studies show the role of biogenic amines in the effects of ethanol. The present work analyzed the effect of an acute sedative-hypnotic dose of ethanol (4 g/kg) on the levels of tryptophan, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindol-acetic acid (5-HIAA), the serotonin synthesis rate and the 5-HIAA elimination rate in several regions of the brain. The 5-HT synthesis rate was not enhanced by ethanol administration, despite increases in brain tryptophan, 5-HT and 5-HIAA, which were primarily in the medulla-pons. The increased indole levels could be due to inhibition of 5-HIAA elimination from the brain.

Ontogeny of the novel tachykinins neurokinin A, neurokinin B and neuropeptide K in the rat central nervous system.

Neurokinin A, neurokinin B and neuropeptide K content has been measured in several regions of the rat central nervous system at different stages of postnatal development. For this, we have employed a combination of HPLC separation and radioimmunoassay detection using a neurokinin A antiserum which also recognizes neurokinin B and neuropeptide K. All 3 tachykinins were detectable during postnatal development in the various regions studied (hypothalamus, striatum, substantia nigra, cerebral cortex and spinal cord). Interestingly, a general increase in the tachykinin concentrations was observed during the second week of life. Some of these concentrations reached values on postnatal day 15 which far exceeded those observed in the adult. After day 15 most areas showed a slow decline in their tachykinin content until adult values were finally achieved. The developmental profiles obtained for these tachykinins are in good agreement with previous studies on the ontogeny of substance P and its receptors and support the view that tachykinins may play an important role in the organization and maturation of the developing central nervous system.

Rat blood and brain amino acid pattern in short term experimental diabetes.

Some serum and brain amino acid variations occurring in animals with short term streptozotocin-diabetes (24 h) are studied in this work. Diabetic animals showed an increase in serum of the three branched-chain amino acids as well as an increase in free tryptophan, besides a decrease in total serum tryptophan and in the tryptophan/competitor amino acids ratio. In brain, the three branched-chain amino acids increased, but there were no variation in whole brain tryptophan. Nevertheless, by studying levels of tryptophan in different brain regions, an increase in medulla-pons was recorded. This circumstance could be explained by the increase in free serum tryptophan levels, in agreement with several authors who assign this reason for brain tryptophan.

Effects of short term experimental diabetes on brain serotonin metabolism.

Serotonin metabolism was studied in several brain regions of control and Streptozotocin-treated male Wistar rats. After induction of diabetes, the animals were killed at 24 hours. Concentrations of brain tryptophan show a generalized increase in all brain regions, being only significant in medulla-pons. Serotonin levels do not change, while 5-HIAA concentrations, as well as the ratio 5-HIAA/5-HT, show significant increases in medulla-pons and mid-brain.

Effect of low doses of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid on serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine concentrations in rat brain areas.

The effects of intraperitoneal administration of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) on biogenic amine levels in hemispheres, hypothalamus, midbrain, and medulla-pons, and on tryptophan in serum and brain, were studied. One hour after GHB administration (50 and 100 mg/kg) significant increases of dopamine concentration were observed in the hemispheres with both doses and in the hypothalamus with the higher dose, but a significant decrease of noradrenaline in the hypothalamus. No significant changes of serotonin metabolism were observed. These results indicate that low doses of GHB selectively affect the catecholaminergic neuronal activity.

Effect of long-term pinealectomy on serum LH levels and on cerebral serotonin metabolism in adult male rats.

Two months after pinealectomy carried out in adult male rats previously exposed to a long photoperiod (L:D 14:10) during 10 weeks, the weight of seminal vesicles significantly increased in comparison with Sham-operated animals. Nevertheless, the weights of testes and ventral prostate did not change significantly. The serum LH concentration increased significantly by pinealectomy. The levels of serotonin and 5-hydroxiindolacetic acid significantly decreased in the hypothalamus and midbrain after pinealectomy.

Effects of pinealectomy on regional brain serotonin metabolism.

The influence of pinealectomy on serotonin cerebral metabolism was examined in male rats maintained in a long photoperiod (14 h L:10 h D). Eight weeks after pinealectomy, serum, hepatic and CNS concentrations of tryptophan were not affected. The concentrations of 5-HT was significantly decreased in only three regions, hypothalamus, midbrain and hippocampus. The levels of 5-HIAA decreased significantly only in the hypothalamus and the midbrain. These results suggest that pinealectomy promotes a decreased hypothalamic and midbrain 5-HT utilization.