Nutrient intake and vitamin status of healthy French vegetarians and nonvegetarians.

The status of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and vitamins B-6, B-12, C, A, D, and E was investigated in 37 middle-aged and healthy French vegetarians by means of a dietary survey and biochemical studies. Values were compared with those of a group of nonvegetarians. Unsatisfactory intakes of vitamin B-6 were observed: vitamin B-6 intake as a percentage of the French Recommended Dietary Allowances was approximately 66% for vegetarians and approximately 58% for nonvegetarians.

Vitamin status of young athletes including the effects of supplementation.

Vitamin B1, B2, B6, C, A, and E status was assessed by combining determination of dietary intake with biochemical indices in 55 young male athletes. When compared with 20 matched sedentary controls, a similar number of individuals with biochemical deficiency was found in both groups for vitamins B1, B6, and E despite a higher mean dietary intake of these three vitamins in young athletes. Markedly reduced levels of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, the biologically active form of the vitamin B6 compounds, were found in both populations.

Fatty acid composition of serum lipids and its relation to diet in an elderly institutionalized population.

This study was conducted to determine the nutritional status with respect to fatty acids of 53 institutionalized elderly subjects (group A). Seven-day food records and biochemical determinations were used. The same protocol was applied to 25 healthy young adults (group B).

Role of catecholamines in regulation by feeding of energy balance following chronic exercise in rats.

Two experiments examined the contribution of the two catecholamines--epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NE)--to the control of food intake and body weight gain in male rats during chronic exercise. Urinary excretion of both catecholamines rose significantly and was positively correlated to food intake inhibition (NE, n = 54, r = 0.394, p less than 0.

[Effects of the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the diet on the functioning and depletion of energy substrates in the rat heart during perfusion by left atrial route].

The effects of semi-liquid diets containing 6.6% in weight of refined sunflower seed oil (SSO) or hydrogenated coconut oil (HCO) on cardiac endogenous substrates and functional parameters of rats hearts were compared to a standard laboratory chow during seven days. No difference appeared for cardiac glycogen and lipid constituents.

[Determination of plasma catecholamines in clinical biology].

The use of sensitive detectors has enabled the development of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the dosage of plasma catecholamines (adrenalin, A; noradrenalin, NA and dopamine, DA). Separation of the catecholamines may be done with a pair of ions chromatography on grafted silica or with an exchange of ions chromatography. The quantification is carried out, either by electro-chemical detection (HPLC-ECD), or by fluorometry after catecholamines shunting into trihydroxyindoles compounds (THI).

[Evaluation of dietary vitamin intake in Burgundy (France)].

The daily intake of vitamin B1, B2, B6, PP, C, A, D and E was investigated in 297 adult subjects, undergoing a check-up examination in a Health Center in Burgundy, by the 7-day self-recorded prospective protocol, to determine the prevalence of vitamin deficiency risks in an area of a West European Country. The daily vitamin intake was lower than the French Recommended Dietary Allowances: RDA (CNERNA, 1981). The intake was between 50 and 80% of RDA for vitamin B1 in 58%, B2 in 24%, B6 in 59%, PP in 43%, C in 21%, A in 8%, D in 0.

Plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity during exercise in man.

Many experimental studies have utilized the activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) as an index of sympathetic activity, since this enzyme is not submitted to uptake mechanisms or to enzymatic metabolism as are the circulating catecholamines norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E). However, large discrepancies have been found between the results of these studies. The hypothesis which is examined in this study is that these discrepancies might arise from the different intensities in the stimuli utilized.

Characterization of postjunctional adrenoceptor subtypes in isolated rat myocardial cells in culture.

The effects of agonists and antagonists, specific for the different adrenoceptor subtypes on the automaticity of cultured ventricular cells from postnatal rat, were studied. Chronotropic responses were assessed by recording monophasic action potentials using intracellular microelectrodes. Contraction was assessed by an electro-optical procedure.

Measurement of plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate by combination of an enzymatic assay with high-performance liquid chromatography/electrochemistry.

An assay method for the determination of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) in plasma is presented. The procedure is rapid and requires only a small volume. The method includes PLP-dependent enzymatic decarboxylation of L-tyrosine to tyramine (enzyme used: L-tyrosine apodecarboxylase (EC 4.

Nutritional alterations at high altitude in man.

During the French 1980 Mount Pabil (7,102 m) Expedition, a study was made of four altitude-acclimatised climbers (age 36.5 +/- 3.6 years; VO2max 50.

[Characteristics of the dietary intake of French children from 3 to 24 months of age. Diet of French infants].

The food consumption of 543 French infants, aged 3 to 24 months, was recorded during a 3 day period. The nutrient intake data were calculated by a computerized food table. The 1981 recommended dietary amounts proposed by the Committee of the Centre National de Coordination des Etudes et Recherches sur la Nutrition et l'Alimentation were used to assess adequacy of intake.

Evaluation of sympathoadrenal activity, adrenocortical function and androgenic status in five men during a Himalayan mountaineering expedition (ascent of Mt Pabil, 7,102 m, 23,294 ft).

Sympathoadrenal activity, adrenocortical function and androgenic status were studied in five well-trained mountaineers during the different phases of a mountaineering expedition during the ascent of Mt Pabil (7,102 m) in the Ganesh Himal massif. Sympathoadrenal activity was evaluated by measuring urinary excretion of adrenaline, noradrenaline, metanephrines, and vanillinmandelic acid. Adrenocortical function was assessed by measuring urinary excretion of free cortisol, 17 OHCS (17-hydroxycorticosteroids) and androgenic status by measuring testosterone glucuronide, Adiol (5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta diol) and 17KS (17-ketosteroids).

Evaluation of pyridoxine intake and pyridoxine status among aged institutionalised people.

The vitamin B6 status of 60 institutionalised elderly subjects (group A: 31 men, mean age = 77 yr and 29 women, mean age = 84 yr) and 41 healthy young adults (group B or control group: 18 men, mean age = 30 yr and 23 women, mean age = 27 yr) was evaluated using erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity coefficient (alpha EGOT) and plasma pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) level (vitamin B6-deficient subjects = alpha greater than 2.0 and PLP less than 80 nmol/l). The kilocalorie, protein and pyridoxine intakes were also estimated.

[Effect of a controlled regimen of pyridoxol hydrochloride on the liver content of vitamin B6 and on the transaminase activities of erythrocytes in rats].

The pyridoxamine (PM), pyridoxal (PL) and pyridoxol (PN) in liver, the urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), the red blood cells enzymatic activities (aspartate aminotransferase, GOT and alanine aminotransferase, GPT) were determined in rats fed diets containing different levels of PN, HCl (0,23-170 micrograms/rat/d) during 13 days. PL and PM hepatic levels, GOT and GPT activities decreased significantly in groups A and B receiving respectively 0,23 and 11 micrograms PN, HCl/rat/d. No differences were noticed in food intake and growth.

[Characteristics of the food ration of children. Results of surveys made of children aged 5, 10 and 15 years in the population of Dijon].

A dietary survey has been carried out in 5 to 6, 9 to 11 and 14 to 16 years old children of the urban area of Dijon. The method was the 7 day-record with data processing by computer. The results showed that the mean caloric intakes were lower than the recommended allowances, and that the mean values of proteins (14.

[Cardiovascular and adrenal medullo-sympathetic reactions to acute tobacco poisoning].

We studied the effects after cigarette quicksmoking in 15 subjects on plasma catecholamines levels (epinephrine and norepinephrine), on heart rate and arterial pressure. Smoking-associated increments in mean plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine as well as in heart rate and arterial pressure were demonstrated. The lack of correlation between the increase of the adrenergic system activity and this of the hemodynamic parameters can be explained by their own different characteristics.

[Influence of the GABAergic system on eating behavior induced by the tail pinching technic in rats].

The present experiment was undertaken to investigate the possible involvement of GABAergic neurons in the regulation of the feeding behavior induced by tail pinching. Injections before the tail pinching of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist (Muscimol: 570 micrograms.kg-1 i.

[Peroperative plasma catecholamine levels during cardiovascular surgery].

Peroperative catecholamine levels were taken as a method for the assessment of automatic protection. Plasma adrenalin and nonadrenalin levels (spectro-fluometric technique) were measured at different pre-, per- and postoperative times in twenty eight surgical patientS: fifteen undergoing cardiac surgery and ten surgery involving the aortic bifurcation. Anaesthesia included high doses of fentanyl associated with droperidol.

[Plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in pheochromocytoma (author's transl)].

In 3 patients with proved pheochromocytoma, circulating catecholamine concentrations, vanillylmandelic acid and total free catecholamine urinary excretion, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activities in plasma were measured the day before surgery, during the removal of the tumour and postoperatively. Following the removal of the pheochromocytoma, all these parameters declined with a different rate, possibly related to the half-life proper to each molecule. The results showing a decrease in plasma D beta H activities after the removal of the tumors are in good accordance with most authors.