Volume 8 of Advances in Nutritional Research deals with several topics of prime current interest in nutritional research, including the role of nutrition in hypertension, in the infections associated with protein-energy malnu trition, and in pathological conditions associated with the generation of oxygen radicals in the tissues, as well as with topics of ongoing interest. Recent research indicates that reduction of obesity, of alcohol intake, and of sodium intake by salt-sensitive individuals, are the most effective non pharmacological means of reducing high blood pressure. A new approach to therapy for infections caused by protein-energy malnutrition, based on restoration of immunocompetence by administration of thyroid and anti glucocorticoid hormones, is presented. Current research into the role of nutrition in modulating tissue damage caused by oxygen radicals generated in various pathologies is reviewed. Two· chapters deal with perinatal nutrition, one with the transfer of nutrients across the placenta and the other with the energy requirements of term and preterm infants. Another dicusses methods of assessing the nutritional status of hospitalized patients. vii Contents Chapter 1. The Transfer of Nutrients across the Perfused Human Placenta ................................... . Joseph Dands 1. Introduction................................. 1 2. Comments on Comparative Placentology . . . . . . . . . . .• . . 1 . 3. The Perfusion Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 3 . . . . 4. Review of Transfer Experiments .................... 3 4.1. Transfer of Glutamic Acid .................... 3 4.2. Transfer of Riboflavin .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . 6 . . . 5. Potentials and Umltations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 9 . . . .References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 10 . . . . . .

Inhalt

1. The Transfer of Nutrients across the Perfused Human Placenta.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Comments on Comparative Placentology.- 3. The Perfusion Technique.- 4. Review of Transfer Experiments.- 5. Potentials and I imitations.- References.- 2. Immunoenhancement in Wasting Protein-Energy Malnutrition: Assessment of Present Information and Proposal of a New Concept.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Supplementation with Single Nutrients.- 3. Adoptive Immunotherapy.- 4. Manipulation of Classical Endocrine Hormones: A New Concept.- 5. Immunostimulatory Drugs.- 6. Therapeutic Attempts in Advanced Cancer.- 7. Concluding Remarks. A Conceptual Foundation for Future Research.- 8. Acknowledgments.- References.- 3. The Role of Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Obesity and Weight Reduction.- 3. Alcohol.- 4. Sodium.- 5. Potassium.- 6. Calcium.- 7. Magnesium.- 8. Dietary Fat.- 9. Vegetarian Diet.- 10. Diet as an Alternative to Drug Treatment.- 11. Conclusion.- References.- 4. Energy Metabolism of the Newborn Infant.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Concept of Energy Balance.- 3. The Partition of Energy Intake.- 4. Energy Expenditure of the Fetus and Infant.- 5. Growth and Energy Storage in the Fetus and Infant.- 6. Dietary Pattern and Energy Intake in Infancy.- 7. Conclusion.- References.- 5. Nutritional Assessment of the Hospitalized Patient.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Malnutrition.- 3. Parameters of Nutritional Assessment.- 4. Prediction of Malnutrition.- 5. Nutritional Intervention.- References.- 6. Nutritional Modulation of Oxygen Radical Pathology.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Traditional Concept of Oxygen Toxicity.- 3. Modem Concept of Oxygen Toxicity.- 4. Radicals of Molecular Oxygen.- 5. Lipoxy Radicals.- 6. Vitamin E.- 7. Selenium.- 8. Vitamin C.- 9. Iron.- 10. Copper, Zinc and Manganese.- 11. Sulfur Amino Acids.- 12. Niacin.- 13. ?-carotene.- 14. Overview.- References.