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Biomedical subjects

G Garrido

Publications and source records attributed to G Garrido.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant activity of Mangifera indica L. extract (Vimang).

An extract of Mangifera indica L. (Vimang) was tested in vitro for its antioxidant activity using commonly accepted assays. It showed a powerful scavenger activity of hydroxyl radicals and hypochlorous acid and acted as an iron chelator. The extract also showed a significant inhibitory effect on the peroxidation of rat-brain phospholipid and inhibited DNA damage by bleomycin or copper-phenanthroline systems.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Health status and risk behavior of adolescents in the north of Madrid, Spain.

PURPOSE: To study the health status and risk behavior in an adolescent population of Madrid, Spain. METHODS: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was completed by 2831 pupils aged 14-20 years from urban, suburban, and rural populations in the north of Madrid. A large number of questions were from the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey questionnaire, which included sociodemographics, health status, drug use, sexual practices, suicidal thoughts, emotional problems, and injury risk. Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and Chi-square statistics are used for analyzing associations between the different variables. RESULTS: A majority (80%) of students thought they are in good or very good health (better for males than females); 18.3% had had intercourse, the average age of the first intercourse was 15.4 years +/- 1.68 SD for males and 16.1 years +/- 1.46 SD for females. Most (73%) had used some kind of contraception. Eighty-five percent had tried alcohol, and regular use (frequently or every day) was as high as 24%. Males drank more than females (28% vs. 20%); 58.2% of the population drink only during weekends, the percentage increasing with age. Seventy percent of the sample had smoked at least once; 34. 5% reported regular tobacco use and this increased with age. Males smoked less than females (27% vs. 42%); 3.2% smoked more than 20 cigarettes/day. The consumption of illegal drugs was very low (20% had tasted cannabis and use by males was higher). Cocaine, heroin, etc. were used by less than 5%. CONCLUSION: In general, our adolescents are in good health with most problems being preventable. Sexual activity was lower than in other European and American countries. The consumption of tobacco and alcohol started early and in general was high. Our study confirms the relationship among different health-compromising behaviors. There is a need to implement health promotion and preventive programs for adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Influence of 2,3,5-Triiodobenzoic Acid and 1-N-Naphthylphthalamic Acid on Indoleacetic Acid Transport in Carnation Cuttings: Relationship with Rooting.

(3)H-IAA transport in excised sections of carnation cuttings was studied by using two receiver systems for recovery of transported radioactivity: agar blocks (A) and wells containing a buffer solution (B). When receivers were periodically renewed, transport continued for up to 8 h and ceased before 24 h. If receivers were not renewed, IAA transport decreased drastically due to immobilization in the base of the sections. TIBA was as effective as NPA in inhibiting the basipetal transport irrespective of the application site (the basal or the apical side of sections). The polarity of IAA transport was determined by measuring the polar ratio (basipetal/acropetal) and the inhibition caused by TIBA or NPA. The polar ratio varied with receiver, whereas the inhibition by TIBA or NPA was similar. Distribution of immobilized radioactivity along the sections after a transport period of 24 h showed that the application of TIBA to the apical side or NPA to the basal side of sections, increased the radioactivity in zones further from the application site, which agrees with a basipetal and acropetal movement of TIBA and NPA, respectively. The existence of a slow acropetal movement of the inhibitor was confirmed by using (3)H-NPA. From the results obtained, a methodological approach is proposed to measure the variations in polar auxin transport. This method was used to investigate whether the variations in rooting observed during the cold storage of cuttings might be related to changes in polar auxin transport. As the storage period increased, a decrease in intensity and polarity of auxin transport occurred, which was accompanied by a delay in the formation and growth of adventitious roots, confirming the involvement of polar auxin transport in supplying the auxin for rooting.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Mechanical ventilation of patients on long-term oxygen therapy with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: prognosis and cost-utility analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognosis and costs of mechanical ventilation in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated with long-term oxygen therapy. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. Follow-up at 1 and 5 years. Cost utility analysis. SETTING: A medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital. PATIENTS: 20 patients with previous COPD treated with long-term oxygen therapy and needing mechanical ventilation due to acute respiratory failure. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mortality in the ICU, in-hospital mortality (ICU plus ward), and mortality at 1 and 5 years, and factors associated with prognosis and cost-utility were assessed. The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was 20 (median 20 range 12-36). Cumulative mortality was 35% in the ICU, 50% in hospital, 75% at 1 year, and 85% at 5 years. Factors significantly associated with mortality in the ICU were low levels of albumin (p = 0.05) and sodium (p = 0.01) at admission. Patients who died in hospital and in the first year after discharge had a lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) than survivors (p = 0.03 and p = 0.05, respectively). The cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) was U.S. $26283 and U.S. $44602 in a "best" (cost/QALY calculated for the life expectancy in Spain) and a "worst case scenario" (cost/QALY calculated for a 68-year life expectancy), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Applying mechanical ventilation to COPD patients treated with long-term oxygen therapy carries a high mortality and cost. Factors significantly associated with mortality in the ICU were albumin and sodium concentrations and FEV1 in hospital and in the first year after discharge.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effects of a DA2/alpha2 agonist and a beta1-blocker in combination with an ACE inhibitor on adrenergic activity and left ventricular remodeling in an experimental model of left ventricular dysfunction after coronary artery occlusion.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and sympathetic nervous systems overactivity play a major role in worsening the extent of heart failure. Attenuation of neurohumoral activation with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers has proven beneficial in congestive heart failure. Because ACE inhibition is a recommended treatment for heart failure, this study was designed to test the effects on neurohumoral activation, hemodynamics, and left ventricular (LV) volume of the combination of an ACE inhibitor (delapril) with a DA2-dopaminergic receptor/alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist (CHF-1024) or a beta1-adrenoceptor antagonist (metoprolol) after a moderate to large myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. MI was induced by left coronary artery ligation in 134 rats, and six were not operated on. After 2 months, the animals with ECG evidence of MI were treated for 1 more month with CHF- 1024, 0.33 mg/kg/day or with metoprolol (10 mg/kg/day), delivered through implanted osmotic minipumps, in addition to delapril (6 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water. Daily urinary excretion of norepinephrine (NE) and circulating concentration were measured. Hemodynamic variables were measured, and three-dimensional morphometric analysis was done on the diastole-arrested hearts to quantify infarct size and LV geometry. In conscious animals, delapril alone or with CHF-1024 or metropolol did not modify heart rate or systolic blood pressure. Both combination treatments, however, significantly reduced heart rate in anesthetized animals compared with the group receiving vehicle. Infarct size was not different between treatments, averaging 20-22% of LV volume. The threefold increase of LV chamber volume in infarcted rats was significantly attenuated by delapril alone or with CHF-1024 or metoprolol (-37 to -44%, p<0.05). Treatment with a combination of the ACEi and CHF-1024 tended to normalize the shape of the LV cavity. Urinary NE excretion was unaffected by delapril alone but was reduced by the addition of CHF-1024 or metoprolol. In conclusion, 1 month of treatment with doses of delapril having no hemodynamic effect, reduced LV volume in a model of chronic heart failure. When CHF-1024 or metoprolol was given with delapril, sympathetic activation decreased with no unwanted effects, such as excessive hypotension.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗
PubMed1997

Characterization of the promoter for the human long pentraxin PTX3. Role of NF-kappaB in tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta regulation.

The "long pentraxins" are an emerging family of genes that have conserved in their carboxy-terminal halves a pentraxin domain homologous to the prototypical acute phase protein pentraxins (C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P component) and acquired novel amino-terminal domains. In this report, a genomic fragment of 1371 nucleotides from the human "long pentraxin" gene PTX3 is characterized as a promoter on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin (IL)-1beta exposure in transfected 8387 human fibroblasts by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and RNase protection assays. In the same cells, the PTX3 promoter does not respond to IL-6 stimulation. Furthermore, IL-1beta and TNFalpha responsiveness is not seen in the Hep 3B hepatoma cell line. The minimal promoter contains one NF-kappaB element which is shown to be necessary for induction and able to bind p50 homodimers and p65 heterodimers but not c-Rel. Mutants in this site lose the ability to bind NF-kappaB proteins and to respond to TNFalpha and IL-1beta in functional assays. Sp1- and AP-1 binding sites lying in proximity to the NF-kappaB site do not seem to play a major role for cytokine responsiveness. Finally, cotransfection experiments with expression vectors validate that the natural promoter contains a functional NF-kappaB site.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of different types of high carbohydrate diets on glycogen metabolism in liver and skeletal muscle of endurance-trained rats.

Male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum four different diets containing fructose, sucrose, maltodextrins or starch as the source of carbohydrate (CH). One group was subjected to moderate physical training on a motor-driven treadmill for 10 weeks (trained rats). A second group received no training and acted as a control (sedentary rats). Glycogen metabolism was studied in the liver and skeletal muscle of these animals. In the sedentary rats, liver glycogen concentrations increased by 60%-90% with the administration of simple CH diets compared with complex CH diets, whereas skeletal muscle glycogen stores were not significantly affected by the diet. Physical training induced a marked decrease in the glycogen content in liver (20%-30% of the sedentary rats) and skeletal muscle (50%-80% of the sedentary rats) in animals fed simple (but not complex) CH diets. In liver this was accompanied by a two-fold increase of triacylglycerol concentrations. Compared with simple CH diets, complex CH feeding increased by 50%-150% glycogen synthase (GS) activity in liver, whereas only a slight increase in GS activity was observed in skeletal muscle. In all the animal groups, a direct relationship existed between tissue glucose 6-phosphate concentration and glycogen content (r = 0.9911 in liver, r = 0.7177 in skeletal muscle). In contrast, no relationship was evident between glycogen concentrations and either glycogen phosphorylase activity or adenosine 5'-monophosphate tissue concentration. The results from this study thus suggest that for trained rats diets containing complex CH (compared with diets containing simple CH) improve the glycogenic capacity of liver and skeletal muscle, thus enabling the adequate regeneration of glycogen stores in these two tissues.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1993

Effects of tetrandrine on Ca(2+)- and Na(+)-currents of single bullfrog cardiomyocytes.

Tetrandrine is a natural alkaloid classified as a calcium antagonist. However, its precise actions on Ca(2+)-currents in cardiac cells have not been fully characterized. In the present study, we have investigated the mechanism of action of tetrandrine on the Ca(2+)-currents of single bullfrog cardiac cells, using the patch-clamp technique. Tetrandrine slightly increased ICaL from negative holding potentials (-100 mV) at low concentrations (10 nM-1 microM) and inhibited it at higher concentrations. At depolarized holding potentials (-50 mV) only an enhanced inhibition was seen. Tetrandrine blockade of the L-type Ca(2+)-current (ICaL) was mostly tonic. This is similar to ICaL blockade by nifedipine but not by verapamil, the latter being mostly use-dependent. Use-dependent effects of tetrandrine and nifedipine were evident at high rates. Availability curves were shifted leftwards (10-12 mV) by tetrandrine (10 microM) and nifedipine (1 microM). The T-type Ca(2+)-current (ICaT), although less sensitive, was decreased by both agents in a voltage-independent way. Tetrandrine (10-30 microM) but not nifedipine (1-10 microM), depressed the Na(+)-current (INa) in tonic, use- and voltage-dependent manners. We conclude that tetrandrine and nifedipine share some common actions on cardiac Ca(2+)-channels, while showing differences in their actions on Na(+)-channels. The depression of INa by tetrandrine suggests it could be effective on supraventricular tachycardias.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1992

[Anthropometric evaluation of the nutritional status of a elderly group from Madrid (Spain)].

Body composition was assessed by means of anthropometry in a group of 75 elderly people (21 men and 54 women), aged 65 to 95 years (mean age 82.1 +/- 0.7) (x +/- SE), mean weight 58.5 +/- 1.7 kg and mean height 150.4 +/- 1.1 cm, which live in al Old People's Home in the Autonomic Community of Madrid. The average Quetelet Index 25.7 +/- 0.7 kg/m2 indicates a basically normal situation although there are 21% obese elderly with Quetelet over 30 kg/m2 and 12% of the cases with the index under 20 kg/m2. Even though the skinfold thickness in our population is inferior to the results obtained in other studies, the triceps skinfold is nearer the values given by other authors, and the suprailiac skinfold is completely different. This means that the elderly studied have less abdominal fat accumulation and more accumulation in arms and legs. This fat distribution can be beneficial in relationship to the risk of suffering several pathologies. Of the males, 15% and 22% of the females have their weight 25% and 30%, respectively, higher than their ideal weight. But there are also some of them with ponderal deficiency; by this means, 23% have 95% lesser than their ideal weight, indicating moderate malnutrition. A total of 16% have less than 85%, indicating medium malnutrition and 2 have less than 75% of the ideal weight, which is indicating of severe deficiency. With age, the measured height, weight, skinfolds, circumferences and diameters, the fat and lean body mass values decrease, the abdominal skinfold and the fat body mass decreasing significantly. Our results can contribute to increase knowledge as to the nutritional status and body composition of the Spanish elderly, and emphasize the coexistence of fat and ponderal excess with deficiencies of higher or lower importance.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

[Effect of nutrition on the functional capacity of a group of elderly Spaniards].

The present study analyzes the influence of the nutritional status on the functional capability of 11 institutionalized elderly living in Madrid (Spain). Nutritional status was evaluated by dietetic, anthropometric, hematological and biochemical data and functional status was evaluated considering adiposity, strength in hands and legs bent and stretched and flexibility. The most important nutritional problems that conditional functional wastages are obesity, hypercholesterolemia and protein and micronutrient deficiency. The adverse influence of obesity and hypercholesterolemia on the functional capacity of the elderly is shown by the inverse relationship between flexibility and strength in hands and legs with the adiposity degree, with the thickness of skin folds and the cholesterolemia. In reference to the diet's influence, there are positive correlations between food intake and most of the nutrients with hand and legs strength, and there are statistical significances for proteins, iron, zinc, magnesium and pyridoxine, and also for vitamin C, niacin, thiamin, folic acid and vitamin E. For blood values, the mayor correlation exists between functional parameters and iron, ferritin and vitamin C levels. Our results contribute to confirm the influence of nutrition on the functional capacity of the influence of nutrition on the functional capacity of the elderly and manifest the necessity of improving the elderly's diet, to prevent micronutrient deficiency and also the necessity of increasing their physical activity. Both measures will mean an important help for sanitary and functional improvement of the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Prajmalium, an antiarrhythmic with positive inotropic effect: mechanism of action in rabbit single cardiomyocytes.

The propyl derivative of ajmaline, N-n-propylajamaline (prajmalium), is an antiarrhythmic compound that lacks the commonly reported negative inotropic effects of all others under clinical use. The present study was undertaken to establish and understand its effects at the cellular level in mammalian preparations. Electrical and mechanical activities were recorded from right ventricular strips and Na and L-type Ca currents (INa and ICaL, respectively) were recorded with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in right ventricular myocytes freshly dissociated from rabbit hearts. Prajmalium decreased the maximal rate of depolarization of the action potential in a dose-dependent manner with an EC50 of 3 microM. This effect was use and frequency dependent. Action potential duration was increased by 1 microM prajamalium but decreased on applying higher concentrations. The force of contraction was slightly (15%) increased at 0.1 microM, not affected at all at 1 microM and depressed by 30% at 20 microM. In single cardiomyocytes maintained at negative holding potentials, INa was slightly depressed by prajmalium at 10 nM and reduced by 75% at 10 microM. ICaL was increased by 30 and 20% on applying prajmalium at 1 and 10 microM, respectively; on the other hand, ICaL was reduced by these two concentrations of prajmalium at less negative holding potentials. A higher prajmalium concentration (100 microM) decreased ICaL at all holding potentials studies and this effect was enhanced with depolarization. The increase in ICaL induced by prajmalium (1 microM) was also observed after ICaL had been fully beta-adrenergic and P2-purinergic stimulated by isoproterenol (1 microM) in the presence of IBMX (100 microM) and ATP (10 microM). It is concluded that prajmalium is able to increase ICaL in rabbit ventricular cells in a voltage-dependent manner, an effect that could account in part for the observed lack of negative inotropism of this antiarrhythmic in clinics.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1992

[Biliary calculi resistant to dissolution with bile acids: their heterogeneous composition and diversity of treatment response].

We have studied thirteen biliary stones resistant to biliary acids, using technical methods of stereomicroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy and EDX analyses. We have investigated changes on surface. Three biliary stones did not change and were considered resistant. Seven biliary stones appear partially dissolved and we observed many irregularities on surface and/or concentric dips in relation with cholesterol dissolution. In six cases, biliary pigment alternates with cholesterol. In three cases we observed a calcium carbonate coat on surface. One case included organic fibers. One biliary stone showed cholesterol with spherical bodies of calcium carbonate and pigment. It was a relapsed case of combined treatment. Three stones are composed of small black portions of polymerized calcium bilirubinate, rich in copper and iron. Our results demonstrate that biliary stones previously selected for treatment are a heterogeneous group. Because of this fact we get variable and unpredictable results.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed1991

Domains of yeast plasma membrane and ATPase-associated glycoprotein.

In yeast homogenates the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase and a major surface glycoprotein of about 115 kDa are present in two membrane fractions with peak densities in sucrose gradients of 1.17 and 1.22. Immunogold electron microscopy of frozen yeast sections indicates that the ATPase is exclusively (greater than 95%) present at the surface membrane. Therefore the two ATPase-containing fractions appear to correspond to different domains of the plasma membrane. The 115 kDa glycoprotein is tightly associated with the ATPase during solubilization and purification of the enzyme. However, in a mutant lacking the glycoprotein the activity of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase is similar to wild type, suggesting that this association is fortuitous. The ATPase and the glycoprotein are difficult to separate by electrophoresis and therefore binding of concanavalin A to the ATPase cannot be unambiguously demonstrated in wild-type yeast. By utilizing the mutant without glycoprotein it was shown that the ATPase band of 105 kDa binds concanavalin A.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1991

[Bone mass peak, evaluation using bone densitometry of the whole body in a normal female population in our environment].

Considerable debate exists about when the maximal bone mass, or "bone mass peak" is physiological acquired. In the present study, 140 normal females aged 15 through 19 years (n = 18), 20 through 29 years (n = 58) and 30 through 39 years (n = 64), were assessed in order to determine their total body bone mineral (TBBM) content, as bone mass parameter, by bone densitometry with dual energy X rays. We did not observe significant differences in TBBM values between the different groups. A positive and significant correlation existed between age and TBBM (r = 0.486, p less than 0.05) in female aged 15 to 19 years but not in the rest of the groups. These data suggest that female acquired their maximal bone mass, or bone mass peak, up to the age of 20 years and that it remains stable until, at lest, the age of 39 years. We point up the importance of achieving an adequate skeletal development in females during their first 20 years of life that could perhaps protect them from suffering subsequently from osteoporosis.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1988

A review of peripheral tuberculous arthritis.

There is a clear difference between TB infection and TB. Transition from the former to the latter involves host factors and perhaps environmental elements. Currently, more individuals with immunosuppressive situations caused by aging, debilitating diseases, immunosuppressive therapies, and HIV-III infection are predisposed to secondary forms of TB. Different patterns of clinical presentation, at variance with those previously described, could result from these changes in the host. PTBA is a good example. In the present review of 52 patients, we found that patient age is rising, as has been reported in other western countries. We also found that oligoarthritis and involvement of non-weight-bearing joints is becoming more common. From the diagnostic point of view, histological studies and cultures of synovial tissue remain the most reliable tests. Awareness of these factors, recognition of changing patterns, proper use of diagnostic procedures, and early treatment should improve the outcome of patients.

Adult↗