Linear growth and zinc supplementation in children with short stature.

Physical growth retardation is an early and prominent feature of zinc deficiency, but the effect of zinc supplementation in children is still not completely clear. This study investigated the impact of zinc supplementation on linear growth, growth velocity, IGF-I levels, and skeletal maturation of short children during and after mineral supplementation. The study was designed as a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of zinc supplementation during a 6-month period, with a subsequent 6-month follow-up. Anthropometric data were collected at 0, 6, and 12 months. Measurements included plasma Zn, IGF-I, height, weight, triceps skinfold thickness, and body mass index. Eighteen healthy pre-pubertal short children (z-score -2.0) 7 to 10 years old with normal GH and IGF-I levels were randomized to two groups, one with zinc supplementation (5 mg/kg/d of ZnSO4) and the other with placebo. In the first 6 months, only height velocity increased significantly, 5.99+/-0.80 cm/yr vs 5.05+/-0.85 cm/yr (p=0.03). After 12 months, height velocity returned to the initial values, 3.92+/-0.59 cm/yr vs 4.19+/-1.08 cm/yr (p=0.29). This study indicates that zinc supplementation increased growth velocity, but these effects did not persist after supplementation was discontinued.

[Anatomic reconstruction of native coronary arteries and vein graft with less shortening wallstent]. / Reconstrução anatômica das artérias coronárias nativas e das pontes de safena utilizando less shortening wallstent.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the advantage of the wallstent in the treatment of long or multiple lesions. METHODS: Thirty eight patients with mean age 66 years underwent wallstent implantation. Fourteen had lesions in the left anterior descending, 12 in the right coronary, nine in the circumflex and four in a vein graft. The technique for implantation requires an accurate quantification of the vessel diameter, because the chosen stent should be 1.5 mm larger than the target vessel. A new technique using additional inflations with high pressure balloons was applied. RESULTS: Successful implantation occurred in 95%. We did not have success in two patients. One of them due to damage in the stent and the other to unsuccessful liberation. Both patients were submitted to conventional angioplasty without complications. CONCLUSION: The wallstent implantation can be successfully performed with high success rate, but late angiographic results still demand further studies.

Reconstrução anatômica das artérias coronárias nativas e das pontes de safena utilizando Less Shortening Wallstent / Anatomic reconstruction of native coronary arteries and vein graft with the Less Shortening SelfÄExpandable Wallstent

OBJETIVO Ä Avaliar a utilizaçäo de apenas um stent, owallstent (WS), no tratamento de lesöes longas (LL) ou múltiplas (LM). MÉTODOS Ä Trinta e oito pacientes com idades variando de 42Ä82 (m=66) anos, sendo por cento do sexo masculino. Os vasos tratados foram: descendente anterior (14 pacientes); coronária direita (12); circunflexa (9) e pontes de safena (4). Cinco pacientes necessitaram de 2 stents: 4 PalmazÄSchatz no segmento proximal do vaso e um que recebeu dois WS com diâmetro maior ou igual a 1,5mm do diâmetro nominal do vaso.Todos os pacientes necessitaram de hiperinsuflação após o implante do WS. RESULTADOS - O sucesso do implante foi de 95 por cento. Os dois casos de insucesso foram: um devido à fratura do sistema e outro à soltura incompleta. Ambos, submetidos à angioplastia convencional com sucesso. Não houve complicaçöes nesta série. CONCLUSÄO - O WS foi efetivo no tratamento de LL e LM com alto índice de sucesso imediato e sem complicaçöes.

Determination of calcium and magnesium in limestone and dolomite by enthalpimetric flow-injection analysis.

A flow-enthalpimetric method for the determination of calcium and magnesium in limestone and dolomite is described. Calcium is determined by measuring the heat evolved from the substitution reaction with Mg-EDTA. The amount of magnesium is calculated from the calcium content and the enthalpimetric signal for the reaction of the sample solution with disodium-EDTA, which gives the total concentration of calcium and magnesium. Analysis of reference materials and other samples indicates an error not exceeding 0.3% of CaO and MgO, and a sampling rate of 100 samples per hour.

Determination of water in ethanol and acetone by direct injection enthalpimetry based on the heat of dilution.

Two analytical procedures based on the magnitude of the heat of dilution and direct injection enthalpimetry have been developed for determination of water in ethanol and acetone. The results obtained by means of the heat of dilution were compared with the values given by pycnometry, and gave a relative difference in the range 0.2-3%. The precision depends on the slope of the calibration curve, which varies with the procedure and the concentration of the sample.

Determination of carbohydrates by direct injection enthalpimetry.

An analytical method for the determination of carbohydrates is described, which is based on the enthalpimetric signal obtained at the beginning of the reaction with periodate. The apparatus is described and relevant aspects of the procedure are discussed. Single carbohydrates can be determined in a few minutes with a precision of 1%. Analysis of mixtures of glucose and fructose is reported.