The present study has been finalized to perform the content of Zn, Cu, Cr, Se, Mn, F, Mo, Ni, and B in the preterm human milk over 21 d of lactation. Trace element (TE) contents were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-MS), and median concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cr, Se, Mn, and F observed in preterm milk did not demonstrate significant differences in comparison to levels shown in term milk. A statistical significant difference (p < 0.05) has been found among Mo, Ni, and B content in preterm milk for every stage of lactation. TE content of infant blood founded concentrations of Mo in preterm babies significantly (p < 0.01) lower than in term offsprings. Similar values of other TE content were obtained in blood of preterm and term newborns. These findings point to the need for a considerable reassessment of the existing dietary recommendation for Mo content in infant feeding.

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of oral zinc supplementation on liver ornithine transcarbamylase activity (OTC), a key enzyme in the urea cycle, in cirrhotic rats. OTC was studied in two groups of rats treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4): the first received zinc in the drinking water during the induction of cirrhosis; the second was the control group. Cirrhotic rats which received zinc supplementation showed an increase in liver OTC activity, positively correlated with serum and hepatic zinc content. The results suggest that zinc dietary supplementation may modify hepatic OTC activity and, therefore, plasma ammonia levels in cirrhotic rats.

The effect of low-fat diets on appearance of stress-induced gastric ulcers was tested in rats consuming phenobarbital (0.25 ml/100g/day) during 1 week. The results showed a significant increase of the ulcerated area in the stomachs of the rats fed by low-fat diets, versus controls. It seemed that a diet adequate in lipids may decrease the ulcerogenic effects induced by chronic use of phenobarbital.

The ultrastructure of the thymus was examined in young zincdeficient rats in whom alterations of immune functions were present. There was an increased number of macrophages, which contained large amounts of phagocytized material per cell. Signs of hyperactivity of epithelio-reticular cells, associated with a sharp reduction of thymocytes was observed. Thymic hormone activity was reduced. The possible correlation between zinc deficiency and changes of thymus function and structure in rats is discussed.

A randomized study was initiated to assess the benefit of early nutritional support in patients with abdominal trauma. To date 18 patients (8 control, 10 enterally fed) have been entered in this study. The controls underwent conventional nutritional treatment. The enterally fed group received constant infusion of a defined diet by needle catheter jejunostomy. The infusion of nutritional support was started at 12 hours postoperatively reaching 3000 kcal/day (1 kcal/min) within 72 hours. After 7 days of treatment the nutritional assessment in the enterally fed group was the following: serum albumin 3.47 +/- 15 to 3.54 +/- 0.10 g%; transferrin 219 +/- 8 to 233 +/- 11 mg%; nitrogen balance -7.8 to + 2.9 g/day. Septic complications occurred in 10% (1/10) of patients. The control group gave the following results: negative nitrogen balance (-10.9 to -6.5 g/day); decreased serum albumin (3.44 +/- 0.1 to 3.22 +/- 0.1 g%) and transferrin levels (215 +/- 9 to 208 +/- 10 mg%). Septic complications occurred in 25% (2/8) of patients. These data suggest: a) early nutritional support decreases the incidence of septic complications and improves the value of nutritional markers in patients with abdominal trauma; b) nutritional infusion by catheter jejunostomy might be safely started at 12 hours postoperatively.

Recent works have showed different interrelations between dietary tryptophan intake and aggressive behaviour in different groups of rats. In this experiment the AA. have treated thirty Sprague-Dawley rats (15 youngs and 15 adults) with tryptophan free-diet, during eight weeks. Muricide activity was weekly controlled; daily food intake for all group was recorded. Young rats feeding tryptophan free-diet and young rats pairfed controls showed aggressive behaviour at the sixth week of treatment. Adult rats did not show any changes of mouse killing during the whole period of experiment.