Biomedical subjects

A Gil

Publications and source records attributed to A Gil.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Lessons from the "Euro-Lupus Cohort".

The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" is composed by 1,000 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that have been followed prospectively since 1991. These patients have been gathered by a European consortium - the "Euro-Lupus Project Group". This consortium was originated as part of the network promoted by the "European Working Party on SLE", a working group created in 1990 in order to promote research in Europe on the different problems related to this disease. The "Euro-Lupus Cohort" provides an updated information on the SLE morbidity and mortality characteristics in the present decade as well as defines several clinical and immunological prognostic factors.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Epidemiology of primary varicella hospitalizations in Spain.

An approach to the burden of varicella can be obtained from information on the hospitalizations. Data were obtained from the national surveillance system for hospital data. All hospital discharges for varicella were analyzed for the 1995-1998 period. A total of 3632 primary varicella-related discharges were identified, representing an annual incidence of 2.8 per 100,000 population. A total of 58% of cases were <10 years of age and 33% were 21-50 years old. Each year primary varicella will be responsible for 6174 days of hospitalization, representing an annual cost of 1.6 million euros. There is substantial severe morbidity each year from varicella that, to reduce, would require vaccination of infants and susceptible adults.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Hospital admissions for pertussis in Spain, 1995-1998.

This epidemiological survey was undertaken to estimate the annual burden of hospitalizations for pertussis in Spain during a four-year period 1995-1998. Data were obtained from the national surveillance system for hospital data. All hospital discharges for pertussis (ICD-9- CM 033) were analyzed. The annual incidence of hospitalization for pertussis was 1.7 per 100,000 population. Eighty-nine percent of the cases were < 1 year of age (incidence of 78 per 100,000) and 95% were < or =5 years of age (incidence of 28 per 100,000). During the study period, 14 deaths were reported among patients hospitalized by pertussis. Despite of the high immunization rates, many pertussis cases occur each year, mostly of them among very young children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

[Factors related to psychotropic drugs consumption among the Spanish adult population. Data from the Spanish National Health Surveys for 1993, 1995 and 1997].

BACKGROUND: In this study, the aim is the identification of the factor associated with psychotropic drug use among the Spanish adult population. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A descriptive and cross-sectional survey is carried out using data from the Spanish National Health Surveys from 1993, 1995 and 1997. As subjects of the study we have chosen the spanish adult population (aged 16 plus). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: socio-demographic factors and health profile. Dependent variables are the overall consumption of psychotropic drug, both prescribed and no prescribed. RESULTS: Prevalence of psychotropic drug consumption is higher among women (6.9% in 1993; 9.9% in 1995, and 9.7% in 1997) than among men (3.1% in 1993; 4.8% in 1995, and 4.7% in 1997). According to multivariance analysis, alcohol consumption have negative association, anxiety or sleep disorder and depression seem to be strongly associated (OR = 22.44; CI 95%, 13.06-38.56 women, and OR = 42.97; CI 95%, 17.69-104.40 men). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of psychotropic drug consumption is higher in women than in men. The most strongly associated variable is nervous or sleep disorder and depression.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

[Factors associated with dental enamel defects in the first molar in a population of children].

OBJECTIVES: To assess factors related to defects in the tooth enamel of the first permanent molar. Factors studied include, pediatric assistance, hospital admittance, high and low respiratory illness, varicella, gastroenteritis, ear infections, urinary tract infections, and different pharmacological treatments. DESIGN: A retrospective case control study. PARTICIPANTS: Cases and controls were selected randomly from a pool of 1382 scholars born in years 1980, 1981 and 1982. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The study was conducted in march and may of year 2000. Finally 48 cases and 148 controls were selected. A dental examination was conducted at 8 years of age using the WHO criteria. Defects in the tooth enamel were defined according to the FDI criteria. We've measured and compared the study variables along the first five years of live. The epidemiological association was quantified by means of the odds ratio (OR) an its 95% confidence interval (CI). In the first year of live we estimated for pediatric assistance an OR of 2.26 (95% CI 1.05-4.92); in the second year for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) we obtained an OR of 25.27 (95% CI 2.98-562.2); in the third year for UTI an OR of 6.68 (95% CI 1.01-54.52); in the fourth year the OR for pneumonia was 13.45 (95% CI 1.36-324.5) and finally in the fifth year the significant OR were: 2.56 (95% CI 1.23-5.34) for ear infections, 2.28 (95% CI 1.03-5.03) for macrolides and OR of 2.20 (95% CI 1.08-4.50) for anticongestive medications. CONCLUSIONS: UTI and pneumonia show a high association with the presence of defects in the tooth enamel. Other variables such as high frequency of pediatric assistance, hospital admittance, ear infections, varicella, and pharmacological treatments with macrolides, cefolosporines, anticongestive medications and lungs medications showed a weak association.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2001

Dietary gangliosides positively modulate the percentages of Th1 and Th2 lymphocyte subsets in small intestine of mice at weaning.

We studied the influence of dietary gangliosides on the number of spontaneous cytokine-secreting cells from two intestinal lymphocyte populations: lamina propria lymphocytes and Peyer's patches lymphocytes in Balb/c mice for 28 days after weaning. Weanling mice were separated into two groups, designated as Control and BG. The Control group was fed with a semipurified diet without gangliosides and the BG group was fed with the semipurified diet supplemented with 47 mg/kg of a mixture of bovine brain gangliosides. Intestinal lymphocytes were isolated from mice killed at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after weaning, and the percentages of spontaneous Th1 as well as Th2 cytokine-secreting lymphocytes were determined using the ELISPOT assay. The BG group animals showed an earlier development in the number of cytokine-secreting cells, which appeared one week later in Control animals. In addition, mice fed with the ganglioside-supplemented diet showed a significantly higher number of Th1 and Th2 cytokine-secreting lymphocytes than Control mice in lamina propria and Peyer's patches lymphocytes at the end of the experimental period (28 days). Our results suggest that dietary gangliosides influence the maturation process of the intestinal immune system that take place during weaning.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) during early development: contribution of milk LC-PUFA to accretion rates varies among organs.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) accretion (essential for growth and neural development) was studied from late fetal throughout weaning age in the ferret, a species with maternal LC-PUFA sufficiency during pregnancy and lactation. The data show that a) accretion rate of LC-PUFA is rapid during early postnatal development, b) milk LC-PUFA decrease during lactation, c) adipose tissue LC-PUFA level is directly related to milk LC-PUFA level, while accretion in brain and liver exceeds dietary intake, d) accretion of arachidonic acid occurs earlier than docosahexaenoic acid, suggesting earlier development of n6-fatty acid endogenous synthesis.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2001

Statistical analyses of influence of solar and geomagnetic activities on car accident events.

Statistical analyses of the influence of Solar and geomagnetic activity, sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field and galactic cosmic ray Forbush effects on car accident events in Poland for the period of 1990-1999 have been carried out. Using auto-correlation, cross-correlation, spectral analyses and superposition epochs methods it has been shown that there are separate periods when car accident events have direct correlation with Ap index of the geomagnetic activity, sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field and Forbush decreases of galactic cosmic rays. Nevertheless, the single-valued direct correlation is not possible to reveal for the whole period of 1990-1999. Periodicity of 7 days and its second harmonic (3.5 days) has been reliably revealed in the car accident events data in Poland for the each year of the period 1990-1999. It is shown that the maximum car accident events take place in Poland on Friday and practically does not depend on the level of solar and geomagnetic activities.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed2001

Macroscopic water deposits on polycrystalline gold measured by scanning force microscopy.

Data of water adsorption on polycrystalline gold show the formation of a multilayer film of several nanometers with the increase of relative humidity. We have measured this adsorption process by scanning force microscopy in both dynamic and jumping modes. We find interesting differences in the adsorption of water on the terraces and at grain boundaries. Measurements of adhesion force are also reported.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Dietary trans fatty acids in early life: a review.

Trans fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids with at least a double trans configuration, resulting in a more rigid molecule close to a saturated fatty acid. These appear in dairy fat because of ruminal activity, and in hydrogenated oils; margarines, shortenings and baked goods contain relatively high levels of trans fatty acids. These fatty acids can be incorporated into both fetal and adult tissues, although the transfer rate through the placenta continues to be a contradictory subject. In preterm infants and healthy term babies, trans isomers have been inversely correlated to infantile birth weight. However, in multigenerational studies using animals, there is no correlation between birth weight, growth, and dietary trans fatty acids. Maternal milk reflects precisely the daily dietary intake of trans fatty acids, from 2% to 5% of the total fatty acids in human milk. The level of linoleic acid in human milk is increased by a high trans diet, but long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids remain mostly unaffected. Likewise, infant tissues incorporate trans fatty acids from maternal milk, raising the level of linoleic acid and relatively decreasing arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids. This suggests an inhibitory effect of trans fatty acid on liver Delta-6 fatty-acid desaturase activity. As opposed to blood and liver, the brain appears to be protected from the trans fatty-acid accumulation in experimental animals, but no data have yet been reported for human newborns. Further investigations in humans are needed to definitively establish the potential physiological consequences of trans fatty-acid intake during the neonatal period.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

The influence of dietary nucleotides on humoral and cell immunity in the neonate and lactating infant.

The organism constantly requires nucleotides, especially for tissues that present a high rate of turnover, such as the cells of the immune system. In certain circumstances, nucleotides may become semi-essential nutrients required by a particular organ. There is evidence of the potential role of exogenous nucleotides as regulators of the immune function. In experiments carried out with animals, studies have shown that dietary nucleotides stimulate the humoral immune response to T-dependent antigens and raise total antibody levels. The present study reveals an increase in the production of immunoglobulins, an improved response to vaccines, a reduction in morbidity and increased tolerance to dietary antigens. Therefore, the addition of nucleotides to formula appears to favour the immune function.

Antibody Formation↗

PubMed2001

Absorption and distribution of dietary fatty acids from different sources.

Lipids have physical, chemical, and physiological properties that make them important factors in human nutrition. They form a group of compounds of varied chemical nature that have the common property of being soluble in organic solvents but insoluble in water. This basic property affects their digestion, absorption, and transport in the blood and metabolism at cellular level. Firstly, fatty-acid chain length and number of double bonds influence fat absorption. Thus, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are better absorbed than long-chain fatty acids. Secondly, the positional distribution of fatty acids (FA) in dietary triglycerides (TG) determine whether FA are absorbed as 2-monoglycerides (2-MG) or free fatty acids (FFA), and hence, influences the composition of chylomicroms (CM) because triglycerides (TG) are resyntethysed in the intestinal mucosa using 2-MG from dietary lipids. Generally, the absorption of FA in the sn-2 position of TG is favored, whereas no specificity has been found for the fatty acids in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. Finally, some FA of nutritional interest, namely, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP), are present in dietary lipid sources as both TG or phospholipids (PL). Fatty acids esterified as PL or TG may show different availability. In fact, some authors have suggested a better absorption of LCP-PL. Moreover, dietary LCP in form of TG or PL differently affects the composition of HDL and LDL PL.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Analysis of 31 CFTR mutations in 55 families from the South of Spain.

We carried out a molecular analysis of 350 chromosomes from 55 families originating from the South of Spain (Andalucia) who were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). We used polymerase chain reaction, followed by an oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) and sequence-coded separation using capillary electrophoresis. A frequency of 43.5% for DeltaF508 was found, making it the most common CF mutation in our sample. Seven more mutations (G542X, R334W, R1162X, 2789+5G-->A, R117H, DeltaI507 and W1282X) were detected and accounted for 24.7% of the total. The remaining mutations (31.8%) were undetectable with the methodology used in this study.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

PubMed2001

Erectile dysfunction in a primary care setting: results of an observational, no-control-group, prospective study with sildenafil under routine conditions of use.

In order to assess the effectiveness of sildenafil under routine conditions of use in primary care settings and to evaluate its impact on patient's life satisfaction and partner's satisfaction with treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), an open, multicentre, observational, prospective study was designed in which 2816 patients were treated with sildenafil for at least 10 weeks. Effectiveness was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF), life satisfaction was measured with 'Life-satisfaction Check List' (LISAT 8), and EDITS was optionally used to assess the partner's satisfaction with ED therapy. Sildenafil was effective in 86.6% of patients. All dimensions of IIEF significantly increased with sildenafil, particularly erectile domain which overall sample mean score improved was 13.2 points (P < 0.001). The greatest increases in satisfaction with all aspects of life were seen in sex life and relationship with partner dimensions. The patients' partners, answered by a minority of partners, were highly satisfied with the treatment and its rapid action, therefore they were in favour of continuing with same. The adverse events occurring were similar to those seen in clinical research on sildenafil in the premarketing phase. No control group was included in this study.

Erectile Dysfunction↗

PubMed2001

Temperature and PMA affect different phases of exocytosis in bovine chromaffin cells.

Amperometry was used to study secretory kinetics of single bovine chromaffin cells stimulated by transient depolarizations at different temperatures. The initial rate of release was moderately enhanced when the temperature was raised from 18 to 22 and 37 degrees C. Secretion increased drastically at a later period, 5-10 s after the initiation of stimulus. Interestingly, incubation of the cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) clearly enhanced fast secretory components. In addition, the rate of secretion of the slower component recruited by prolonged depolarizations (t > 30 s) was unaffected at the range of temperatures normally used in secretory experiments (22-37 degrees C). A 'counting events' analysis of secretion, which avoids the influence of event charge changes, showed specific increases in a population of vesicles fusing between 7 and 12 s over the same range of temperatures, and a marked increase in vesicles fusing during the initial phase (1-5 s), of PMA-treated cell secretion. An analysis of temperature influence on transient components released by high sucrose, the secretion elicited by cell permeabilization with digitonin, and studies of the individual characteristics of amperometric events, allow us to conclude that an increase in the size of a secondary-released vesicle population is the main factor contributing to temperature-dependent enhancement of secretion, in clear contrast to the enhancement of fast releasable pools caused by phorbol esters.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Plasma fatty-acid composition and antioxidant capacity in low birth-weight infants fed formula enriched with n-6 and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from purified phospholipids.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a formula containing n-6 and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) from purified phospholipids increases the content of 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 of plasma lipids and modifies the plasma antioxidant capacity in low-birth-weight infants. STUDY DESIGN: Seventeen infants were fed a conventional formula for low birth-weight infants (F), and 17 a formula containing n-6 and n-3 LCP from purified pig-brain phospholipids (LCP-F). Fourteen infants receiving human milk from a human milk bank were used as a reference (HM). Growth index were measured and blood samples were taken at entry and after 15 days and 30 days of feeding. RESULTS: In infants fed LCP-F the levels of 22:6n-3 in total plasma lipids and in plasma phospholipids and triglycerides were higher than in infants fed F and closer to the levels of HM group throughout the study. Docosahexaenoic acid concentration in total plasma lipids was 3.46+/-0.19 mg/dl in infants fed LCP-F and 2.08+/-0.20 in infants fed F after 15 days of feeding (P<0.001), and 3.83+/-0.30 and 2.15+/-0.20 in infants fed LCP-F and F respectively, after 30 days of feeding (P<0.001). The concentration of 20:4n-6 in the LCP-F was significantly higher than in the F group at 15 and 30 days of feeding. Plasma antioxidant capacity did not differ significantly between the study groups. CONCLUSION: Feeding low birth-weight infants a formula containing LCP phospholipids results in an increase of n-3 and n-6 LCP in plasma towards that of infants fed human milk.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed2001

Co-localization of vesicles and P/Q Ca2+-channels explains the preferential distribution of exocytotic active zones in neurites emitted by bovine chromaffin cells.

We have taken advantage of the differences between the preferential localization of secretion in the terminals of neurite-emitting bovine chromaffin cells in contrast with the random distribution secretion in spherical cells to study the possible molecular factors determining such localization by using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy techniques. By analyzing the distribution of dopamine beta-hydroxylase present in the membrane of chromaffin granules, we found that vesicles migrate and accumulate in dense packages in the terminals of neurite processes. Neither members of the fusion core complex such as SNAP-25, nor nicotinic receptors are preferentially located in the terminals as would be expected from elements defining sites of release, thereby suggesting the presence of additional factors. Interestingly, we observed a preferential distribution of the P/Q subtype of Ca2+ channels in these neurite terminals and co-localization with vesicles present in these structures, in sharp contrast with the overall distribution of the L subtype channels. Using the same immunofluorescence techniques we were unable to detect N-type calcium channels. In addition, omega-agatoxin IVA was able to block 70% of the exocytotic release occurring into the neurites, whereas L-type blockers had a weak effect. Taken together our results strongly indicate that the co-localization of vesicles and clusters of P/Q Ca2+ channels may explain the precise localization of exocytotic sites in the terminals of neurite-emitting chromaffin cells, whereas the distribution of secretory sites in round cells may arise from the random presence of these factors as indicated by their partial co-localization.

Adrenal Glands↗

PubMed2001

Fortified foods. Criteria for vitamin supplementation in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To review and analyse criteria for vitamin supplementation and fortification in Spain. DESIGN: Systematic review of scientific literature and simulation analysis of food fortification. METHODS: A simulation analysis using a fortified beverage was performed in a random sample of 2855 children aged 2 to 24 years in Spain. RESULTS: High-risk groups for vitamin supplementation and fortification in Spain are highlighted, and target vitamins considered have been: folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D and vitamin B12 (particularly in the elderly). A beverage fortified with vitamins C, A, B1 and B6 may contribute to improving the intake of all of these vitamins with the exception of vitamin A, since the Recommended Nutrient Intake is already covered with current consumption. CONCLUSIONS: A detailed knowledge of nutritional status helps to ensure the rationale and follow up of nutrient supplementation and fortification.

Adolescent↗