Experimental maternal and neonatal folate status relationships in nonhuman primates
Article Abstract:
Folate (folic acid) is a water-soluble B-vitamin especially important for growth and reproduction. Pregnant and lactating monkeys and their infants were studied to assess the effects of marginal (mild) folate deficiency. The monkeys were found to be an excellent model for human pregnancy and folate deficiency. The consequences of even marginal folate deficiency are serious during pregnancy. Premature delivery, stillbirth, miscarriage, low birth weight and birth defects have all been linked to maternal folate deficiency. It was found that both the monkey fetus and nursing infant were directly affected by the mother's deficiency. The baby monkey did not have preferential access to the mother's folate stores, as occurs with some nutrients. Instead, poor maternal folate status appeared to cause the same condition in the infant. Marginal folate deficiency can progress to megaloblastic anemia, a more severe stage. Megaloblastic anemia is a blood condition characterized by the presence of large, abnormal red corpuscles (megaloblasts). While megaloblastic anemia is relatively uncommon in the US, marginal deficiency during pregnancy and lactation is fairly common. This study shows that even mild folate deficiency has adverse consequences for the developing infant monkey.
Publication Name: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9165
Year: 1989
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A mathematical analysis of indirect calorimetry measurements in acutely ill patients
Article Abstract:
Estimates of body metabolism are useful with debilitated or seriously ill patients because they allow assessment of the degree of tissue breakdown in these patients. Although instruments have become available in recent years which allow the measurement of both carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption in these patients, the conventional method for estimating the metabolic rate includes the collection of 24 hour urine samples which are then analyzed for the quantity of nitrogen urea. In clinical practice, collection of accurate 24 hour urine samples in seriously ill patients is essentially impossible. The current experiment presents a new mathematical method for the estimation of body metabolism that only includes the collection of carbon dioxide and oxygen and eliminates the need to collect urinary urea. The method has been found to produce minimal errors in the estimation of the rate of oxidation of carbohydrate and fat in critically ill patients. It is highly accurate for the determination of energy expenditure and is considerate adequate both for clinical practice and research. The determination of these parameters in critically ill patients was found to vary over an 8 to 10-fold range.
Publication Name: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-9165
Year: 1989
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