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Biomedical subjects

J Sanjuán

Publications and source records attributed to J Sanjuán.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase activity in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 110spc4 was capable of chemolithoautotrophic growth with carbon monoxide (CO) as a sole energy and carbon source under aerobic conditions. The enzyme carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH; EC 1.2.99.2) has been purified 21-fold, with a yield of 16% and a specific activity of 58 nmol of CO oxidized/min/mg of protein, by a procedure that involved differential ultracentrifugation, anion-exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme gave a single protein and activity band on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had a molecular mass of 230,000 Da. The 230-kDa enzyme was composed of large (L; 75-kDa), medium (M; 28.4-kDa), and small (S; 17.2-kDa) subunits occurring in heterohexameric (LMS)(2) subunit composition. The 75-kDa polypeptide exhibited immunological cross-reactivity with the large subunit of the CODH of Oligotropha carboxidovorans. The B. japonicum enzyme contained, per mole, 2.29 atoms of Mo, 7.96 atoms of Fe, 7.60 atoms of labile S, and 1.99 mol of flavin. Treatment of the enzyme with iodoacetamide yielded di(carboxamidomethyl)molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide, identifying molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide as the organic portion of the B. japonicum CODH molybdenum cofactor. The absorption spectrum of the purified enzyme was characteristic of a molybdenum-containing iron-sulfur flavoprotein.

Aerobiosis↗

[Evolutionary theories on schizophrenia].

The universal distribution of schizophrenia associated with the low fertility of these patients outlines the paradox: why doesn't diminish the prevalence of this dysfunction? A critical revision is made of the main hypotheses that have thought about to solve this question. Some theories have postulated a physiologic or social advantage. Others have analysed this illness from the mark of the Evolutionary Psychology. We stand out the theories that have looked for an association of a Darwinian approach with genetic or neurodevelopmental data. Finally a possibility of integration of the evolutionary and neuropsychological models is proposed.

Biological Evolution↗

Correlates of symptom dimensions in schizophrenia obtained with the Spanish version of the Manchester scale.

In the last decade, a significant number of studies have been published which suggest a multifactorial psychopathological structure in schizophrenia. Seventy-eight acute and chronic schizophrenic patients diagnosed in accordance with DSM-III-R criteria were studied with the Manchester Scale, Premorbid Adjustment Scale, Family History-RDC Interview, Digit Span, Mini-Mental State and computerized tomography (CT). A factorial analysis of the symptoms as recorded with the Spanish version of the Manchester Scale was carried out. Three factors ('positive', 'negative' and 'disorganization') accounted for 79% of the total variance. Poor premorbid adjustment was associated with high scores for the 'positive' dimension. The 'disorganization' dimension was significantly associated with lower scores in the Mini-Mental and attention test than the rest. However, CT did not differentiate between these symptom dimensions. This study of a sample of mostly outpatients corroborates the hypothesis of three clinical dimensions in schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗

[Cochlear microphonic potentials with surface electrodes in the diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss].

Cochlear microphonic potentials have only been used experimentally because of technical difficulties and the need for inserting transtympanic electrodes. We present the results of a study of 70 ears, 40 with sensorineural hearing loss and 30 with normal hearing. Cochlear microphonics were recorded with surface electrodes. The stimulus was a pure, continuous tone. Statistical analysis disclosed a difference in cochlear microphonic threshold between the two groups. The normal threshold was defined as 83.73 dB and the most significant frequency was 4,000 Hz. The present report shows that this new method can be useful in diagnosing sensorineural hearing loss.

Adolescent↗

[Evolutionary theories of schizophrenia].

The universal distribution of schizophrenia associated with the low fertility of these patients outlines the paradox: why doesn't diminish the prevalence of this dysfunction? A critical revision is made of the main hypotheses that have thought about to solve this question. Some theories have postulated a physiologic or social advantage. Others have analysed this illness from the mark of the Evolutionary Psychology. We stand out the theories that have looked for an association of a Darwinian approach with genetic or neurodevelopmental data. Finally a possibility of integration of the evolutionary and neuropsychological models is proposed.

Biological Evolution↗

[Evaluation of auditory hallucinations: the PSYRATS scale].

INTRODUCTION: Translate and adapt the PSYRATS scale for evaluation of auditory hallucinations to Spanish and study the psychometric behavior. METHOD: After being translated into Spanish, the scale was applied to a sample of 80 patients. All had a history of auditory hallucinations, 71 with Schizophrenia and 9 with schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Demographic and clinical data were collected by a semi-structured interview, tape recording the sessions for every patient. For the reliability study, 27 patients of the sample were evaluated independently by the first four auhors of this paper. For the study of concurrent validity the results of this scale were compared with those of the Krawiecka scale in 60 patients of the sample. RESULTS: In the Spanish version, the 11 items were conserved with slight modifications in two of them. The scale showed high reliability with coefficients in the 11 items higher than 0.85. The concurrent validity showed high association between the hallucination item of the Krawiecka scale and the PSYRATS. In the factorial analysis four factors that explained 62% of the variance were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of the PSYRATS (for hallucinations) is, to our knowledge, the first scale adapted to Spanish for the study of auditory hallucinations, showing excellent psychometric properties.

Adolescent↗

Emotional auditory paradigm in neuroimaging: a base for the study of psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: Since the arrival of neuroimaging numerous studies have tried to analyze the differences between emotional and non-emotional response. The majority of these studies use visual approach (faces) and begin with data in normal subjects. The present study introduces a new paradigm for the study of emotional response based on auditory approach and designed specifically for the study of psychoses. METHOD: The most frequent words heard by psychotic patients with auditory hallucinations were analyzed. They were classified according to five categories which were compared with 13 other words with the same structure but with a neutral emotional valency. This paradigm was applied to see the cerebral activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 10 right handed healthy males. RESULTS: In the preliminary analysis a clear differentiation is observed depending on the type of stimulus applied (emotional or non-emotional), both in the intensity of activation (right and left temporal cortex) as in the activation of specific areas (right precentral and supramarginal gyrus) only with the emotional stimulus. CONCLUSIONS: The present paradigm allows the observation of a differentiation in the cerebral activation to emotional auditory stimulus and could be of utility in the study of psychotic patients.

Affect↗

[Quality of life and social functioning in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine: 1 year follow-up naturalistic study].

OBJECTIVE: To measure health related quality of life (HRQL) and social functioning in schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine under regular clinical practice conditions. METHODS: Out-patients diagnosed of schizophrenia and beginning treatment with olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone or typical oral antipsychotics were included. Information on socio-demographic characteristics was obtained and in each visit (baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months) they were administered the generic HRQL questionnaire Euro-QoL-5D (EQ-5D) and the Social Functioning Scale (SFS). RESULTS: A total of 1,198 patients were followed-up for 12 months. Mean age (SD) was 38.6 (13.3) years and 62.9 % of them were men. In basal conditions the most affected dimensions of EQ-5D were anxiety/depression (76 %), and daily activities (73.6 %). After 12 months treatment the cohort of patients treated with olanzapine showed a better HRQL in the self-care dimension compared to all other treatments (p < 0.05), and in the dimensions of pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression and usual activities compared to the group treated with quetiapine and risperidone (p < 0.05). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of the EQ-5D questionnaire showed a better health state after 12 months in the group treated with olanzapine compared to the groups of quetiapine or risperidone (p < 0.05). The SFS showed a better improvement in the cohort of olanzapine in the three studied dimensions after 12 months: isolation and social relationships in comparison to the risperidone group (p < 0.05), interpersonal communication in comparison to the risperidone and quetiapine group (p < 0.05) and independence performance in comparison to all the other treatments (p < 0,05). CONCLUSION: Schizophrenic patients treated with olanzapine for one year show a better improvement in HRQL and social functioning than those treated with other antipsychotics.

Adult↗

[Subjective experience with antipsychotics: quantitative evaluation].

INTRODUCTION: The subjective experience of psychotic patients with neuroleptics has been the purpose of many studies, considering its importance in treatment adherence, quality of life and outcome. Many authors have developed measurement instruments applicable in everyday clinical practice. The scale objectives defer in hues, but have the subjective perspective in common. METHOD: Questionnaires designed for evaluating subjective experience with antipsychotics, appearing in PUBMED during the last 40 years, have been collected. RESULTS: Ten scales for evaluating the subjective experience with antipsychotics: NDS, DRI, DAI-30, DAI-10, ROMI, SWN, SWN (short version), MARS, ANT and PETiT, were found. Their advantages and limitations have been analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: We have checked out that the contents of each scale do not overlap. It is proposed to differentiate between ((dysphoria response to neuroleptics)) as an acute effect and the ((subjective experience)) as complex effect of long term compliance.

Antipsychotic Agents↗

[Analysis of prescription patterns of antipsychotic agents in psychiatry].

INTRODUCTION: We describe the different diseases in which conventional and second generation antipsychotic (APS) prescriptions are made. METHOD: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study based on the review of 300 clinical records of public and private sites, hospital and out-patient clinics, located in Salamanca, Vigo, Bilbao, Barcelona, Valencia, Oviedo and Malaga. RESULTS: The mean age of the population studied was 42 +/- 17 years; 56.6 % were men. Atypical drugs (67 %) were used basically versus classical ones (33 %). Classical APS are basically prescribed in bipolar disorder with/without psychotic symptoms (20.6 %), schizophrenia (18.3%) and delusional disorder (11.5 %). Atypical APS are fundamentally prescribed in schizophrenia (31.5 %), bipolar disorders with/without psychotic symptoms (12.5 %) and other psychotic disorders (8.9 %). When the psychotic disorders are considered by groups (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms, delusional disorder and other psychotic disorders), classical APS are used in 47.4 % and atypical APS in 62.5%. APS were used ((outside the indication)) (off-label) in 32.8%, including resistant depressions, serious obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder, with similar percentages for both conventional and atypical ones. In dementia, atypical APS were used in 5.1 % versus 1.5 % of the conventional ones. The most frequent reasons for prescription of classical APS were control of psychotic symptoms (33.6 %), aggressiveness-agitation (31.3 %), severe insomnia (16 %), impulsivity (6.9 %) and severe anxiety (6.1 %). Atypical APS were preferably used in the control of psychotic symptoms (58.8%) and aggressiveness-agitation (25.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The use of APS basically occurs within their authorized indications (67.2 %). The off-label use (32.8 %) occurs both for the classical as well as atypical APS and occurs in serious diseases in which there are no alternative treatments.

Adult↗

[Inconsistent motor dominance in schizophrenic patients. Evidence in favor of neurodevelopmental changes].

INTRODUCTION: Motor left lateralization preference and lateralization inconsistencies have often been reported in schizophrenia and interpreted as an expression of a neurodevelopmental deficit in this disorder. However, the reported findings are contradictory and plagued by methodological errors. METHOD: The aim of this work is to examine functional motor lateralization preferences and lateralization inconsistencies in a sample on 78 schizophrenic patients by using a reliable method and comparing them with a nonclinical sample as a control group. We also study the potential associations between lateralization and several clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimage variables. RESULTS: No significant differences are found between schizophrenics and the control group in functional motor preferences. Other relevant finding are: absence of correlation between crural, ocular and hand preference; an association between the severity of negative symptoms and lateralization inconsistency; and an earlier clinical onset and a smaller brain volume in right-handed schizophrenics with ocular crossed lateralization as compared with right-handed schizophrenics with consistent ocular lateralization. CONCLUSION: These findings back up the hypothesis of a neurodevelopmental deficit in schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗

[New method for recording human cochlear microphonic potentials].

The use of invasive methods to record cochlear microphonic potentials preclude its use in routine clinical diagnosis in humans. We present an instrument and method used to obtain cochlear microphonics recordings using external electrodes in human beings. Biological and technical tests were performed before application. Stimulation with a pure, continuous and defined tone yielded cochlear microphonics that can be interpreted easily. This new method allows human cochlear physiology and pathophysiology to be studied non-invasively.

Acoustic Stimulation↗