Academic literature on the topic 'Growth references'

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-19T18:15:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIA DA GRACA MOUCHREK JALDIN.pdf: 589878 bytes, checksum: a4438de077d576ce70fce6d241683f81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-11-18<br>FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA E AO DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTIFICO E TECNOLÓGICO DO MARANHÃO<br>The aim of the present study was to evaluate the growth of exclusively breast-fed infants from birth to six months of age, as well as to compare weight, length and head circumference with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS/1978) reference, and the new international World Health Organization standard/2006 (WHO/2006). A prospective longitudinal study, undertaken in the Human Milk Bank of the Child Maternal University Hospital in São Luis, Maranhão-Brazil, in the period of October 2007 to November 2008. A convenience sampling of 328 full term singleton infants, with birth weight equal to or over 2.5 kg and lower or equal to 4.0kg, exclusively breastfed, upon demand, since their birth. The weight, length and head circumference recorded from birth to the sixth month of age. The growth was evaluated through mean standard deviation and percentiles, and the results were compared to those of the NCHS/1978 reference and WHO/2006 standard. A total of 181 infants (95 females and 86 males) concluded the study. The mean weight of infants at birth was 3.3kg and 8.2kg at six months for males, and 7.7kg for females. Males weighed more than females from the first to the sixth month (p<0.05). The greatest velocity in weight gain occurred in the first two months of life for both sexes. Both males and females doubled their mean birth weight around the third and fourth months, respectively. The mean weight of females was superior to the WHO/2006 standard, at birth and from the third to the sixth month (p<0.05); as to the males, it was superior from the fourth to the sixth month (p<0.05). The mean weight was above the NCHS/1978 reference, for both genders, from birth to the sixth month (p<0.05) except for males at birth. The mean length at birth was 49.1cm (males) and 48.9cm (females), and it was 67.0 cm (males) and 65.4cm (females) at the sixth month. The mean length of males was lower than the WHO/2006, from birth to the sixth month (p<0.05), except for the fifth month; it was also lower than the NCHS/1978 at birth, in the first, fourth and sixth months of life (p<0.05). As to the females, it was similar to the WHO/2006 and lower than the NCHS/1978, at birth and at the sixth month (p<0.05). The 50th percentile of weight of infants was comparable to WHO/2006 percentile, and the females and males surpassed the standard measure from the second and third months, respectively. The 50th percentile of the infants weight was superior to the NCHS/1978 from the first to the sixth month. The 50th percentiles of length and head circumference were comparable to the respective percentiles of the standard and the reference. The infants velocity of the monthly weight increment followed the 50th percentile curve of the WHO/2006, with a better performance, however. It was concluded that exclusively breast-fed infants up to six months presented satisfactory growth. The weight, length and head circumference were akin to the 50th percentile of the WHO standard and NCHS reference; however, the infants in the study were heavier than the reference.<br>O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar o crescimento de crianças, em aleitamento materno exclusivo, do nascimento ao sexto mês e comparar o peso, o comprimento e o perímetro cefálico com a referência National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS/1978) e com o novo padrão internacional World Health Organization/2006 (WHO/2006). Estudo prospectivo, longitudinal realizado no Banco de Leite Humano do Hospital Universitário Materno Infantil, São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil, entre outubro de 2007 a novembro de 2008. Amostra de conveniência com 328 crianças nascidas a termo, não gemelares, peso ao nascer igual ou superior a 2,5kg e inferior ou igual a 4,0kg e em aleitamento exclusivo, do nascimento ao sexto mês, sob livre demanda. O peso, comprimento e perímetro cefálico foram verificados do nascimento ao sexto mês. Avaliouse o crescimento por meio de médias, desvio padrão e percentis, comparando-se os resultados aos da referência NCHS/1978 e do padrão WHO/2006. Finalizaram o estudo 181 crianças (95 meninas e 86 meninos). O peso médio das crianças ao nascer foi 3,3kg e, aos seis meses, 8,2kg, meninos e 7,7kg, meninas. Os meninos foram mais pesados que as meninas, do primeiro ao sexto mês (p<0,05). A maior velocidade no ganho ponderal ocorreu nos dois primeiros meses de vida, em ambos os sexos. Meninos e meninas dobraram o peso médio de nascimento por volta do terceiro e quarto meses, respectivamente. O peso médio das meninas foi superior ao padrão WHO/2006, ao nascer e do terceiro ao sexto mês (p<0,05); o dos meninos, superior do quarto ao sexto mês (p<0.05). Foi superior à referência NCHS/1978, em ambos os sexos, do nascimento ao sexto mês (p<0,05), exceto, ao nascer, nos meninos. O comprimento médio, ao nascer, foi 49,1cm (meninos) e 48,9cm (meninas), aos seis meses, 67,0cm (meninos) e 65,4cm (meninas). O comprimento médio dos meninos foi inferior ao WHO/2006, do nascimento ao sexto mês (p<0,05), exceto no quinto; foi inferior à NCHS/1978, ao nascer, no primeiro, quarto e sexto meses de vida (p<0,05); nas meninas foi semelhante ao WHO/2006 e menor que a NCHS/1978, ao nascer e no sexto mês (p<0,05). O percentil 50 do peso das crianças foi comparável ao WHO/2006, sendo que meninos e meninas superaram o padrão, a partir do segundo e terceiro meses, respectivamente. O percentil 50 do peso das crianças foi superior à NCHS/1978, do primeiro ao sexto mês. Os percentis 50 do comprimento e perímetro cefálico foram comparáveis aos respectivos percentis do padrão e da referência. A velocidade de ganho de peso mensal das crianças acompanhou o percentil 50 do padrão WHO/2006, porém com um desempenho melhor. Concluiu-se que crianças amamentadas exclusivamente, até o sexto mês de vida, apresentaram crescimento satisfatório. O peso, comprimento e perímetro cefálico foram comparáveis ao percentil 50 do padrão WHO e da referência NCHS, contudo as crianças do estudo foram mais pesadas que a referência.

Abstract Previous observations have indicated that reproductive endocrine disorders are common among patients with epilepsy. Valproate (VPA) treatment is associated with hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, and obesity in women. Carbamazepine (CBZ) may also induce endocrine disorders, while the hormonal effects of oxcarbazepine (OXC) are poorly known. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of antiepileptic drugs on reproductive hormones, linear growth and pubertal maturation in patients with epilepsy. Altogether 223 patients taking VPA, CBZ, or OXC monotherapy for epilepsy and 103 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers participated in the study. Seventy-eight girls and 90 men with epilepsy participated in the cross-sectional parts of the study. Thirty-nine adult patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy participated in a 3-month longitudinal study and VPA was replaced with lamotrigine (LTG) in 16 women with VPA-related endocrine disorders in a 1-year longitudinal study. The girls were between 8-18 years, the women 17-41 years and the men 17-51 years of age. None of the antiepileptic drugs studied significantly influenced linear growth or pubertal development in girls with epilepsy, but hyperandrogenemia, increased number of ovarian follicles, and weight gain were observed in prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal girls taking VPA for epilepsy. Increased serum testosterone levels were observed in half of the women after the first 3 months of VPA medication, and high serum concentrations of androgens were common (prevalence 57 %, p &lt; 0.001) in men taking long-term VPA treatment. The women with VPA-related hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries were also found to present other features of insulin resistance (i.e. hyperinsulinemia, centripetal obesity, and an unfavorable serum lipid profile). Reproductive endocrine disorders associated with VPA treatment in women began to normalize after VPA was replaced by LTG. CBZ reduced the bioactivity of androgens, whereas OXC did not have similar effects. Serum concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were increased and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate decreased already during the first months of CBZ treatment. Serum hormone levels were normal in patients with low OXC doses (&lt; 900 mg/d), but serum concentrations of testosterone, gonadotropins and SHBG were high in men with a daily OXC dose ≥ 900 mg. The adverse reproductive endocrine effects of antiepileptic drugs should be considered at the beginning of and during antiepileptic medication.

Photoperiod manipulations are widely used throughout the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) farming industry as a means of producing a product of uniform quality all-year round. However, farmers still remain sceptical over their effectiveness to regulate growth and maturation during the on-growing stage. Furthermore, reports of a characteristic growth-dip following light exposure suggest that light may negatively affect the physiological performance of fish in the short-term. Thus, this thesis investigates the effects of light characteristics (spectral quality, intensity and photoperiod) on growth and maturation of salmonid fish and addresses some of the uncertainties surrounding photoperiod use currently reported within the industry. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are seemingly an ideal model species for examining photoperiod effects on growth. Consequently, the application of constant light exposure (LL) at two different intensities (28W and 16W) during two different thermal conditions (summer and winter) was examined on individually tagged fish. Feed intake and growth appeared to be related to the ambient water temperature and did not appear to be affected by intensity or photoperiod, although the onset of constant light did appear to initially affect growth rate. This may indicate that LL has a limiting effect on the growth of trout or that the prevailing water temperature at which light is applied may override the photoperiodic effect. Furthermore, the lack of enhanced growth in trout exposed to LL, unlike that demonstrated for other salmonids, suggest that there may be a species-specific response to environmental variables. Thus, questions regarding photoperiod effects should be limited to the species in question. The main source of variation in results observed under photoperiod manipulations stems from the salmon industry. Atlantic salmon post-smolts were reared in seawater tanks and either maintained under a natural photoperiod (NP) or exposed to a simulated natural photoperiod (SNP), constant light superimposed on the natural light (NPLL) or constant light only (LL). Artificial light onset, irrespective of photoperiod, resulted in an apparent trend for a reduced appetite lasting up to 60 days. Furthermore, the onset of constant light resulted in a significant chronic elevation of plasma cortisol levels and changes to growth and thyroid hormone levels, providing direct evidence that constant light exposure induces stress. In addition, fish exposed to SNP failed to exhibit a stress response despite a low feed intake. However, differences in the plasma melatonin levels during twilight times, as compared to NP, suggest that gradual changes in the natural light intensity throughout the day, particularly around dawn and dusk, may be important for synchronizing daily events. No differences in growth were observed between the NP and NPLL regimes, although fish reared in an enclosed regime (SNP and LL) exhibited a significantly lower weight gain than fish in an open environment (NP and NPLL). This further highlights the impact that the rearing environment has on the growth performances of fish and the need for commercially run trials. Advances in lighting technologies and a greater understanding of how light is transformed through the water column have focussed research on the spectral sensitivity of fish. Therefore the lighting efficiency of novel blue narrow bandwidth LED lighting units through the water column and their effects on growth and maturation performances of salmon reared in commercial production cages were compared against the standard metal halide units currently utilized throughout the industry. LL application, irrespective of intensity or spectrum, reduced the numbers of fish maturing as compared to fish reared under a natural photoperiod. However, this was greatest under the standard metal halide units reflecting a greater light penetration and perception as determined by plasma melatonin levels. The metal halide groups exhibited the greatest relative weight gain over the trial period as compared to control fish. No evidence was observed for a growth-dip under metal halide light, although blue lit treatments exhibited an initial significant reduction in food consumption, suggesting a possible welfare issue. Nevertheless, the prototype blue LED units showed possible potential for commercial application by penetrating the water depth at half the distance of the metal halide units for only one eighth the power and one fifth the brightness. However, further tests of these prototype spectral units are required to examine the potential welfare and physiological growth and reproductive effects. These studies have shown that the efficacy of artificial light regimes is largely dependent upon the effectiveness of the light source through the underwater environment and its perception by fish, providing a sufficient intensity is emitted exceeding the physiological threshold level for the species cultured. Moreover, whilst the onset of artificial light may elicit a stress response and demonstrate a trend for a suppression of appetite for salmon reared in experimental tanks, no compelling evidence for a suppression of appetite or growth was found under normal commercial cage conditions. This suggests that the growth-dip observed within the industry may in part be a combination of a physiological response to the onset of light further exaggerated by the farmer’s perception and altered judgement in feeding. In addition, the results obtained from this study have helped to standardize the use of light regimes within the industry. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms which may govern growth and maturation in fish following the onset of light exposure.