Robert L. Jensen

DETERMINATION OF BODY VOLUME OF INFANTS BY A METHOD OF HELIUM DISPLACEMENT

Considerable effort has been devoted to the development of means for determining gross composition of the body during life. If this could be done, amounts and proportions of fat, protein, water, and minerals in the body could be considered in relation to growth or decadence, health, diet and various diseases. The hope is that composition of the body may prove to be a more sensitive or revealing index than weight and height, and thus of unique value in appraising nutritional status. The density of the whole body is considerably affected by the proportion of fat since the density of fat is 0.90, while the density of the remainder (total of the fat-free, normally hydrated components) is 1.10. From body density one can calculate the percentage of fat in the body. However, to determine density, the volume of the body as well as its weight must be known. Apparatus and a technique for determining body volume of adult subjects have been described in detail by Siri.1*2*3a With the subject in a closed chamber, a known volume of helium was introduced. The helium distributed quickly throughout the chamber and throughout the gas in the subjects lungs, but was not appreciably dissolved in body tissues during the time required for study. Since the volume of the chamber and the amount of helium introduced were known, it was possible by determining the partial pressure of helium in the chamber to calculate the volume through which helium had been distributed (i .e. , volume of chamber minus volume of subject) and thus arrive at a value for body volume of the subject. The present report describes a modification of this method suitable for use with small infants and provides data indicating the extent of reproducibility of the density values obtained.

Peritoneal dialysis in mercurial diuretic intoxication

Similar concerns have been noted previously for a different disease and distinct enzyme deficiency. In 1973 Vidgoff and associates 1~ reported a family which included a woman with a marked deficiency of hexosominidase A in all tissues studied. She actually represents the carrier state for Tay-Sachs disease, though her hexosominidase A level taken alone would have suggested that she was an affected homozygote. There are thus at least two heritable disorders for which there is overlap between the carrier and the affected person in terms of enzyme activity. Based on these findings, and considering the greater availability and less strict indications for prenatal diagnostic amniocentesis, it is suggested that great care be exercised in the diagnosis of these diseases, particularly in the interpretation of data for intrauterine diagnosis. The data and conclusions discussed here were presented in preliminary form to the Society for Pediatric Research, Denver, April 18, 1975.11

Effect of waxy corn starch modification on growth, serum biochemical values and body composition of pitman-moore miniature pigs

Abstract Four groups each of eight Pitman-Moore miniature pigs were weaned at 3 days of age and then fed for 25 days on formula diets identical except for the type of carbohydrate. The diets contained thin-boiling waxy corn starch or one of three chemical modifications of this starch (phosphated distarch phosphate, distarch phosphate and hydroxypropylated distarch glycerol). No statistically significant treatment-related effects were observed on growth, biochemical values of blood or serum, or carcass or liver composition.

Digestibility of acetylated distarch glycerol—effect on growth, serum biochemical values and body composition of Pitman-Moore miniature pigs

Abstract Two groups each of eight Pitman-Moore miniature pigs were weaned at 3 days of age and then, for 25 days, were allowed unrestricted access to formula diets identical except for the type of carbohydrate. The diets contained 6% of thin-boiling waxy corn starch or acetylated distarch glycerol. At 14 and 21 days of age, the body weight of pigs fed the control starch diet was significantly higher, while at 28 days, the weight of the empty caecum and the water content of the wet carcass and fat-free wet liver were significantly lower and the carcass-fat and liver-protein contents were significantly greater than the corresponding values for pigs fed the diet containing acetylated distarch glycerol as the sole carbohydrate.