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Biomedical subjects

A Segura

Publications and source records attributed to A Segura.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[The incidence of occupational diseases: a study of medical evaluations for work incapacity in Barcelona (1987-1991)].

BACKGROUND: The number of professional diseases (PD) declared in Spain is low. The existence of diseases of labor etiology treated as a common disease is recognized, thus disregarding important labor health risks. METHODS: The incidence of PD in the province of Barcelona from 1987-1991 was prospectively studied by the Units of Medical Evaluation of Incapacities (UMEI). The sociodemographic, medical and administrative data of the cases of PD were reported by a protocol of data collection. The cases of PD are described and the annual incidence in relation with the active working population calculated. RESULTS: The UMEI of Barcelona confirmed 554 cases of PD of which 331 were evaluated as permanent invalidity over the five years of the study. The most frequent diagnoses of PD were pneumoconiosis, skin diseases, diseases causing tendinous fatigue and hypoacusis or deafness. Eleven neoplasms were reported, 9 being caused by asbestos. During the five years the incidence of PD increased from 76 cases to 144 per 100,000 active workers. The procedure of information probably underreported the incidence of PD. CONCLUSIONS: A low incidence of professional disease was observed. The clinical-labor history is generally not carried out. The way in which the Units of Medical Evaluation of Incapacities report data concerning incidence may contribute to greater detection of professional diseases on registration being integrated into a system of epidemiologic surveillance in which all the health care, labor and administrative centers were effectively coordinated.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The defensive role of nonspecific lipid-transfer proteins in plants.

Plant nonspecific lipid-transfer proteins stimulate the transfer of a broad range of lipids between membranes in vitro. In view of their ability to inhibit bacterial and fungal pathogens, their distribution at high concentrations over exposed surfaces and in the vascular system, and the response of Ltp-gene expression to infection with pathogens, they are now thought to be active plant-defense proteins.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1994

Pseudothionin-St1, a potato peptide active against potato pathogens.

A 5-kDa polypeptide, pseudothionin Solanum tuberosum 1 (Pth-St1), which was active against Clavibacter michiganensis subspecies sepedonicus, a bacterial pathogen of potatoes, has been purified from the buffer-insoluble fraction of potato tubers by salt extraction and HPCL. Pth-St1 was also active against other potato pathogens tested (Pseudomonas solanacearum and Fusarium solani). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of this peptide was identical (except for a N/H substitution at position 2) to that deduced from a previously reported cDNA sequence (EMBL accession number X-13180), which had been misclassified as a Browman-Birk protease inhibitor. Pth-St1 did not inhibit either trypsin or insect alpha-amylase activities, and, in contrast with true thionins, did not affect cell-free protein synthesis or beta-glucuronidase activity. Northern-blot and tissue-print analyses showed that steady-state mRNA levels were highest in flowers (especially in petals), followed by tubers (especially in the epidermal cell layers and in leaf primordia), stems and leaves. Infection of leaves with a bacterial pathogen suspended in 10 mM MgCl2 switched off the gene, whereas mock inoculation with 10 mM MgCl2 alone induced higher mRNA levels.

Actinomycetales↗
PubMed1994

Detection by immunoblot assay of antibodies to Taenia solium cysticerci in sera from residents of rural communities and from epileptic patients in Bali, Indonesia.

Several studies from Bali have indicated the presence of Taenia solium. Relatively little has been reported, however, implicating human exposure to this parasite on Bali based upon the prevalence of anti-T. solium antibodies in asymptomatic and epileptic individuals. This study was conducted to determine by immunoblot assay and ELISA the frequency of anti-cysticercus antibodies in two groups of Balinese. Among 746 residents of four ecologic zones, 94 (13%) were positive by immunoblot. Of 74 epileptic patients from throughout the island, 10 (14%) were positive by immunoblot and 8 (11%) by ELISA; however, only 4 (22%) of the 18 sera positive in either test were positive in both assays. The previously defined high specificity and sensitivity of immunoblot indicates that T. solium cysticercosis is well established in Bali and that a significant amount of epilepsy may be due to neurocysticercosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Nail-patella syndrome and pre-eclampsia.

We present here the first described case of Nail-patella syndrome (NPS) and pregnancy. Complications occurred during the pregnancy with the onset of preeclampsia at 22 weeks, leading to intrauterine fetal death at 24 weeks. The nephropathy of the NPS began clinically during the course of gestation. Postpartum, it persisted as isolated proteinuria, which became a nephrotic syndrome 18 months later.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Purification and antipathogenic activity of lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) from the leaves of Arabidopsis and spinach.

Two homogeneous proteins active in vitro against the bacterial pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus were obtained from a crude cell-wall preparation from the leaves of Columbia wild-type Arabidopsis. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of these proteins allowed their identification as lipid transfer proteins (LTP-a1, LTP-a2); the LTP1-a1 sequence was identical to that deduced from a previously described cDNA (EMBL M80566) and LTP-a2 was quite divergent (44% identical positions). These proteins were not detected in the cytoplasmic fraction by Western-blot analysis. Proteins LTP-s1 and LTP-s2 were similarly obtained from spinach leaves; LTP-s1 was 91% identical to a previously purified spinach LTP (Swiss Prot P10976), and LTP-s2 was moderately divergent (71% identical positions). About 1/3 of the total LTPs were detected in the cytoplasmic fraction from spinach by Western-blot analysis. Concentrations of these proteins causing 50% inhibition (EC-50) were in the 0.1-1 microM range for the bacterial pathogens C. michiganensis and Pseudomonas solanacearum and close to 10 microM for the fungal pathogen Fusarium solani.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) from barley and maize leaves are potent inhibitors of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens.

Four homogeneous proteins (Cw18, Cw20, Cw21, Cw22) were isolated from etiolated barley leaves by extraction of the insoluble pellet from a Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) homogenate with 1.5 M LiCl and fractionation by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. All 4 proteins inhibited growth of the pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (EC50s = 1-3 x 10(-7) M) and had closely related N-terminal amino acid sequences. The complete amino acid sequences of proteins Cw18 and Cw21 were determined and found to be homologous to previously described, non-specific lipid transfer proteins from plants (32-62% identical positions). The proteins also inhibited growth of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas solanacearum (EC50s = 3-6 x 10(-7) M) and the fungus Fusarium solani (EC50s = 3-20 x 10(-6) M). A homologous protein from maize leaves (Cw41) was purified in a similar manner and also found to have inhibitory properties. A synergistic effect against the fungus was observed when protein Cw21 was combined with thionins. A defense role for non-specific lipid transfer proteins from plants is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

In vitro posterior composite polymerization recovery following hygroscopic expansion.

Post-operative pain has been associated with composite polymerization shrinkage. This study aimed to quantify the cuspal deflection resulting from the initial shrinkage and the subsequent hygroscopic expansion of a standard posterior composite resin. Thirty hydrated permanent molars were marked on the buccal and lingual cusp tips. Standardized conventional Class II preparations were made and restorations with composite resin were placed and: (A) polymerized as one complete unit; (B) polymerized in gingivo-occlusal increments; (C) polymerized in buccolingual increments. Ten untreated teeth were marked and acted as controls. All specimens were placed in water. Pre-operative, post-operative and 6-month photographs were projected on a digitizer pad and measured by two independent investigators. The mean cuspal deflection (micron) immediately post-operatively and 6 months respectively, was: (A) 22.4, 8.7; (B) 12.4, 5.3; (C) 9.8, 3.0. The percentage of natural tooth dimensional recovery, following hygroscopic expansion was: (A) 97.5%; (B) 98.6%; (C) 99.4%. Buccolingual incremental polymerization led to significantly less initial cuspal deflection and the most cuspal recovery after hygroscopic expansion. The technique of resin placement therefore may provide a decrease in post-operative sensitivity.

Composite Resins↗
PubMed1993

Enamel microabrasion: new considerations in 1993.

Enamel microabrasion is used to eliminate superficial enamel discoloration defects. This article presents a comprehensive review of the enamel microabrasion method and its results. Current technique and materials are described and six cases are used to illustrate various aspects of the procedure. The learning objective of this article is to familiarize the reader with the state-of-the-art of enamel microabrasion and to report the latest laboratory research in the field.

Adolescent↗