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Biomedical subjects

I Gallardo

Publications and source records attributed to I Gallardo.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Ultrastructure of the gingiva in cardiac patients treated with or without calcium channel blockers.

OBJECTIVES: In the last few years, several studies have suggested that periodontal diseases are related to the development of atherosclerosis and its complications. Our objective was to study the ultrastructural morphology of the gingiva from cardiac patients, some of whom were treated and some not with calcium channel blockers compared to a control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty-five patients were studied and grouped in the following way: (a) healthy group (HG) (n=12) healthy patients with at least two pockets between 3 and 5 mm; (b) cardiac group (CG) (n=12) patients with cardiac disease untreated with calcium channel blockers; (c) diltiazem group (DG) (n=13) cardiac patients treated with diltiazem; (d) nifedipine group (NG) (n=18) cardiac patients treated with nifedipine. RESULTS: Ultrastructural studies in the CG showed inflammatory cells, collagen fibers disruption and a more extended morphologically compromised fibroblast mitochondria. Morphometric studies in CG showed mitochondria that were impaired in number but increased in volume, suggesting metabolic cell suffering. In DG and NG, morphometric data were similar to HG. The presence of myofibroblasts and collagen neosynthesis was detected in DG and NG. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed differences in the ultrastructure of the gingival fibroblasts between the studied groups; the DG and NG showed features that could be interpreted as an attempt to restore the cellular metabolic function.

Calcium Channel Blockers↗

The antioxidant capacity of saliva.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Saliva, a heterogeneous fluid comprising proteins, glycoproteins, electrolytes, small organic molecules and compounds transported from the blood, constantly bathes the teeth and oral mucosa. It acts as a cleansing solution, an ion reservoir, a lubricant and a buffer. In addition to its other host-protective properties, saliva could constitute a first line of defence against free radical-mediated oxidative stress, since the process of mastication and digestion of ingested foods promotes a variety of reactions, including lipid peroxidation. Moreover, during gingival inflammation, gingival crevicular fluid flow increases the change of saliva composition with products from the inflammatory response; this, in turn, could have some rôle in controlling and/or modulating oxidative damages in the oral cavity. This is the reason why the antioxidant capacity of saliva has led to increasing interest, and the development of techniques suitable for saliva antioxidant evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we review the current peer-reviewed literature concerning the nature and characteristics of free radicals, reactive oxygen species, oxidants, pro-oxidants and antioxidants in saliva, especially pro-oxidant and antioxidant features, as well as current methods for assessing the antioxidant capacity of saliva. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In the last decade, several methods have been developed for assaying the antioxidant activity of saliva, indicating an increasing interest of researchers and clinicians. Unfortunately, systematic studies of saliva are still lacking, even in healthy populations.

Antioxidants↗

Nucleophilic aromatic substitution of hydrogen: a novel electrochemical approach to the cyanation of nitroarenes.

The nucleophilic aromatic substitution of hydrogen through electrochemical oxidation of the intermediate sigma complexes (Meisenheimer complexes) in simple nitroaromatic compounds is reported for the first time. The studies have been carried out with hydride and cyanide anions as the nucleophiles using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and preparative electrolysis. The cyclic voltammetry experiments allow for the detection and characterization of the sigma complexes and led us to a proposal for the mechanism of the oxidation step. Furthermore, the power of the CV technique in the analysis of the reaction mixture throughout the whole chemical and electrochemical process is described.

Journal Article↗

Electrostatic and electrophilic catalysis in the reductive cleavage of alkyl aryl ethers. The influence of ion pairing on the regioselectivity

Electrophilic and electrostatic catalysis have been identified as distinct contributions that affect the reactivity of radical anions in the reductive cleavage of alkyl aryl ethers. Two modes of mesolytic scission of these radical anions are possible: homolytic (dealkylation, a thermodynamically favored but kinetically forbidden process) and heterolytic (dealkoxylation). From our studies (alkali metal reductions, electrochemical studies, use of substrates with a preformed positive charge in certain positions of their structure) it can be concluded that the heterolytic scission is very much dependent on the electrophilic assistance by the counterion and it is only observed in contact ionic pairs with unsaturated cations (electrophilic catalysis). On the other hand, the homolytic scission is observed in solvent-separated ionic pairs, and it is especially efficient when the pair has a controlled topology with a tetralkylammonium cation (saturated cation) near the oxygen atom. The effect of the cation has, in this case, electrostatic origin (electrostatic catalysis), probably lowering the barrier of the intramolecular pi-sigma electron transfer process and thus reducing the kinetic control of the reaction in such a way that the thermodynamically more favorable process is produced.

Journal Article↗

A prospective study of intraoperative histologic antrum and corpus boundary in patients undergoing highly selective vagotomy for duodenal ulcer.

The results of the present study demonstrate that, at the level of the proximal branch of Crow's foot of Latarjet, parietal cells are found, and therefore, it must be sectioned when performing highly selective vagotomy. At the level of the distal branch, antral mucosa is found. At the level of the middle branch, in almost one-half of the instances, parietal cells are found, and its section must be evaluated with gastric emptying studies.

Adult↗

[Environment, nutrition and intellectual development].

The differential effects of malnutrition and psychosocial cultural deprivation (PSAC) upon intellectual performance and psychomotor development were studied in 52 preschool children attending nursery schools in urban Santiago (Chile). Nutritional status was evaluated according to Gómez, intellectual performance according to Weschler's scale (WISP and WISC tests), psychomotor development according to the Denver Developmental Screening Test and PSAC according to a numerical scale constructed from maternal I.Q.; socioeconomic status (Graffar) and a psychological questionnaire the correlational analysis, undernutrition was assigned a single value calculated from the severity and duration of the disease. An inverse correlation of - 0.36 existed between malnutrition and intellectual performance, and of - 0.39 between malnutrition and psychomotor development. Also, there was an inverse and significant correlation of - 0.73 between PSAC and psychomotor development; there was no correlation between PSAC and intellectual performance. Verbal I.Q. was more affected (r = - 0.52) than manual I.Q. (r = - 0.18) and children malnourished during the first 6 months of life attained lower scores of I.Q. than normals. The duration of malnutrition (mild in all cases) had no influence upon subsequent I.Q. This study was the basis for a rehabilitation program (educational-nutritional) to be applied in preschool children from nonprivileged areas.

Affective Symptoms↗