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Biomedical subjects

A Sainz

Publications and source records attributed to A Sainz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Genetic characterization of Anaplasma (Ehrlichia) platys in dogs in Spain.

This paper reports the first genetic characterization of Anaplasma (Ehrlichia) platys in Spain from a naturally infected dog. The dog presented clinical signs compatible with canine ehrlichiosis. After DNA extraction and PCR amplification, 16S rRNA gene and citrate synthase gene ( gltA) of this agent were amplified. The GenBank accession number for the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of this strain is AY530806. The A. platys strains registered in France and Japan showed the highest similarity to the 16S rRNA gene sequence obtained from the Spanish strain. In the amplification of the gltA gene, a 1443 bp fragment was obtained, and three nucleotide differences were detected in comparison with other strains sequences. These data confirm the presence of A. platys in a dog showing clinical signs compatible with ehrlichiosis in Spain.

Anaplasma↗
PubMed2006

[Esophageal atresia type I. Is impossible possible?].

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of esophageal atresia with "long gap" remains difficult and controversial. According to the idea that esophageal anastomosis is imposible in most cases, several esophageal substitution methods have been proposed, as esophagocoloplasty, gastric transposition or reversed gastric tube. Nevertheless reconstruction of native esophagus is accepted as the best option if posible. "Long gap" definition is imprecise, expressed by variability in percent of these cases in total esophageal atresias reported in different series in literature. We report our experience in seven cases type I esophageal atresia with long gap and the different therapeutic options used, with attention to delayed or early esophageal anastomosis feasibility and outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have treated 121 patients with esophageal atresia from whom we analized 7 cases with pure esophageal atresia with "long gap" (5.8%). Six patients underwent gastrostomy and two gastrostomy and esophagostomy. Five patient underwent primary repair with esophageal anastomosis, delayed between 14 days and 4 months in 4 cases. One patient underwent esophageal anastomosis in the first day without gastrostomy. Retroesternal esophagocoloplasty was performed in 2 patients about their first year of life. Esophagogram was done in first month after surgery and pH monitoring of gastroesophageal reflux. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 28 years. RESULTS: Esophageal anastomosis was feasible in all 5 patients in whom it was tried. Stricture occurred in two patients, one patient underwent anastomotic resection and new esophageal anastomosis. Esophageal reflux was present in two patients, one of them required funduplication. One patient was dead by complications of cardiac malformation. Remaining patients have normal swallowing and are in normal growth curves. Patients with esophagocoloplasty had not relevant early or late complications. CONCLUSIONS: In most pure esophageal atresia, delayed or even early esophageal anastomosis is feasible, making use of surgical and anesthesic sources that favour it. Esophageal substitution techniques can be reserved if this approach fails.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed2005

Influence of the very polluted inputs of the Tinto-Odiel system on the adjacent littoral sediments of southwestern Spain: a statistical approach.

A spatial and temporal analysis (period 1990-2003) of 15 sampling points distributed along the southwestern Spanish coast permits to delimitate the influence area of the extremely polluted discharges coming from the Tinto-Odiel system in the bottom sediments of the adjacent littoral area. As, Cu, Pb and Zn are the main heavy metals transported by the freshwater runoffs toward the shallow shelf and present very high negative (r < -0.7) and significant (p < 0.001) correlations with the distance to the estuarine mouth. The statistical analysis (index of geoaccumulation, Pearson correlation matrix, cluster analysis) of their concentrations in the littoral sediments located between the Guadiana and Guadalquivir mouths delimitates three zones: (a) Zone 1 (from the estuarine mouth to 6 km to the east), characterized by moderate to strongly polluted bottom sediments and main responsible of the mean annual variations of the former heavy metals in the area studied; (b) Zone 2 (from 21.2 km to the west to 29 km to the east), characterized by moderate pollution levels; and (c) Zone 3, located near the Guadiana and Guadalquivir mouths, with very low As-Cu-Pb contents and unpolluted to moderately levels of Zn due to urban sewages or the presence of local low mobility areas for this element.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed2005

Application of a systemic approach to the study of pollution of the Tinto and Odiel rivers (Spain).

The province of Huelva in the SW of Spain presents high environmental contrasts: together with the great abundance of natural spaces, it shows the impacts of historical natural resources exploitation processes. In the Ria of Huelva, the effluents of the chemical industries must be added to the contaminating inputs of the Tinto and Odiel rivers, coming from the acid drainage of the mines located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. This forced the Environmental Agency (AMA) to elaborate in 1987 an Effluent Remediation Plan in order to negate unacceptable environmental impacts. The application of a "grey box" systemic analysis to the AMD pollution, undergone by the Tinto and Odiel rivers has allowed to set a conclusive explanation of the sampling results observed for a period of 11 years, thus making available an overall view of the polluting process and, above all, an explanation of its partial aspects.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2004

Characterisation of heavy metal discharge into the Ria of Huelva.

The Ria of Huelva estuary, in SW Spain, is known to be one of the most heavy metal contaminated estuaries in the world. River contribution to the estuary of dissolved Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni, Cd, and As were analysed for the period 1988-2001. The obtained mean values show that this contribution, both because of the magnitude of total metals (895.1 kg/h), composition, toxicity (8.7 kg/h of As+Cd+Pb) and persistence, is an incomparable case in heavy metal contamination of estuaries. The amount and typology of heavy metal discharge to the Ria of Huelva are related to freshwater flow (and, consequently, to rainfall); as a result, two different types of heavy metal discharge can be distinguished in the estuary: during low water (50% of the days), with only 19.3 kg/h of heavy metals, and during high water or flood (17% of the days), where daily maximum discharge of 72,475 kg of heavy metals were recorded, from which 1481 kg were of As, 470 kg of Pb, and 170 kg of Cd. In the most frequent situation (77% of the days), the Odiel River discharges from 90% to 100% of the freshwater received by the estuary. Despite this, the high concentration of heavy metals in the Tinto River water causes this river to discharge into the Ria of Huelva 12.5% of fluvial total dissolved metal load received by the estuary.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2003

Odiel River, acid mine drainage and current characterisation by means of univariate analysis.

Water pollution caused by sulfide oxidation responds to two geochemical processes: a natural one of temporal patterns, and the 'acid mine drainage', an accelerated process derived from the extractive activity. The Odiel River is located in Southwestern Spain; it flows to the south and into the Atlantic Ocean after joining the Tinto River near its mouth, forming a common estuary. There are three kinds of metallic mining in the Odiel River Basin: manganese, gold and silver, and pyrite mining, the latter being the most important in this basin, which is the object of this study. The main objective of the present study is centred in the characterisation of the sources responsible for the 'acid mine drainage' processes in the Odiel River Basin, through the sampling and subsequent chemical and statistical analyses of water samples collected in three types of sources: mine dumps, active mines and abandoned mines. The main conclusion is that mean pH values in the target area are remarkably lower than those in other active and abandoned mines outside of the study zone. On the contrary, mean values for heavy metal sulfates are much higher. Regarding mine dumps, mean values for pH, sulfates and heavy metals are within a similar range to those data known for areas outside the study zone.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2003

Distribution and relationships between clinical and biopathological parameters in canine leishmaniasis.

Although the lesions, clinical signs and biochemical alterations observed in the course of canine leishmaniasis have been amply described a thorough definition and characterisation of the affected populations is important in order to detect relationships between parameters which may be involved in the development of this disease and to correctly assess further studies. This study included 61 dogs diagnosed with naturally acquired canine leishmaniasis by means of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). At diagnosis, dogs were classified according to the following qualitative and quantitative variables: gender, breed, age, clinical picture, antibody titre, serum protein electrophoretogram, haemogram (CBC), urea, creatinine and ALT. Our population included dogs of 24 breeds, both sexes and different ages indicating no sex, age or breed predilection. In relation to the clinical picture, eight dogs were asymptomatic, 16 displayed mainly cutaneous signs, 18 presented primarily visceral signs and 19 displayed both cutaneous and visceral signs. Our results indicate that the clinical picture is significantly related to electrophoretogram and to RBC, PCV and haemoglobin. Dogs with mainly cutaneous signs showed the highest eosinophil mean values and those with mainly visceral signs showed the highest alpha-globulin mean values. This study confirms that the antibody titre is highly correlated with electrophoretogram and with RBC, PCV and haemoglobin. Lymphocytes were not associated or correlated with any other variable considered. PMNC, monocytes and eosinophils, as well as WBC, showed a significant correlation with beta-globulins, which is difficult to interpret.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans rescue strains produce fit offspring, despite divergent centromere-specific histone alleles.

The interaction between rapidly evolving centromere sequences and conserved kinetochore machinery appears to be mediated by centromere-binding proteins. A recent theory proposes that the independent evolution of centromere-binding proteins in isolated populations may be a universal cause of speciation among eukaryotes. In Drosophila the centromere-specific histone, Cid (centromere identifier), shows extensive sequence divergence between D. melanogaster and the D. simulans clade, indicating that centromere machinery incompatibilities may indeed be involved in reproductive isolation and speciation. However, it is presently unclear whether the adaptive evolution of Cid was a cause of the divergence between these species, or merely a product of postspeciation adaptation in the separate lineages. Furthermore, the extent to which divergent centromere identifier proteins provide a barrier to reproduction remains unknown. Interestingly, a small number of rescue lines from both D. melanogaster and D. simulans can restore hybrid fitness. Through comparisons of cid sequence between nonrescue and rescue strains, we show that cid is not involved in restoring hybrid viability or female fertility. Further, we demonstrate that divergent cid alleles are not sufficient to cause inviability or female sterility in hybrid crosses. Our data do not dispute the rapid divergence of cid or the coevolution of centromeric components in Drosophila; however, they do suggest that cid underwent adaptive evolution after D. melanogaster and D. simulans diverged and, consequently, is not a speciation gene.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A polychaete hunchback ortholog.

We report the first characterization of a segmentation gene homologue in the basal polychaete Capitella capitata using a pan-annelid cross-species antibody to the hunchback-like gene product. In flies, the gap segmentation gene hunchback (hb) encodes a C(2)H(2) zinc-finger transcription factor that plays a pivotal role in patterning the anterior region of the fly body plan. The hb orthologue in Capitella (Cc-hb) is expressed maternally and in all micromere and macromere cells throughout cleavage. At gastrulation, nuclear Cc-hb protein is expressed in the micromere-derived surface epithelium that undergoes epiboly and in the large vegetal blastomeres that gradually become internalized. During organogenesis, Cc-hb is expressed in the developing gut epithelium, the prostomial and pygidial epithelium, and in a subset of differentiated neurons in the adult central nervous system. Cc-hb is not expressed in the segmental precursor cells in the trunk. The Cc-hb expression domains in Capitella are similar to those reported for the leech hb orthologue (LZF2), and many of the observed differences between the annelid classes correlate with changes in life history. The lack of detectable annelid hb protein in the trunk at the time of AP pattern formation in leech and in polychaete suggests that the anterior organizing function of hb in flies originated in the arthropod or insect lineage.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Creating experimental analogs with available clinical information: credible alternatives to "gold-standard" experiments?

Comparison of the implementation and findings of a "gold standard" evaluation of social work intervention and its experimental analog based on available clinical information illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of each. From a practice-research integration perspective, however, "clinical data-mining" may be a credible alternative to randomized controlled experiments.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2000

Standardization of the diagnostic criteria for canine ehrlichiosis. Towards a universal case definition.

Canine ehrlichiosis is a highly variable syndrome presenting a significant differential diagnostic difficulty. It imitates many metabolic and infectious diseases and lacks standardized diagnostic criteria, common reagents, and database resources. A clinical diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis may be based on the manifestation of fever, thrombocytopenia, anorexia, nasolacrimal discharge, epistaxis, and exclusion of autoimmune and common canine vector borne diseases. These parameters are not invariably observed especially in the atypical form of the disease often caused by species other than Ehrlichia canis. A definitive diagnosis is based on the presence of specific antibodies to ehrlichial agent(s), the demonstration of the etiologic agent(s) itself, or specific amplicons by a strigently quality controlled PCR protocol. The relationship of the various clinical and laboratory parameters, the status of the currently available tests, and their real or presumed predictive value are discussed in the context of stimulating an effort to formulate an international standard for the diagnosis of this and related diseases of man and animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Pharmacological and dietary treatment of canine malabsorption syndrome: a retrospective study of 17 clinical cases.

The present study deals with the symptomatology, diagnosis (by means of gastroduodenoscopy and biopsy) and response to a combined dietary/immunosuppressive pharmacological treatment of 17 dogs with malabsorption syndrome. Clinical signs, body weight and serum protein levels evolved favourably in all individuals included in this study during the 150 days following initiation of treatment.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1999

Impediments to the discharge planning effort for psychiatric inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates a methodology to systematically track the effort to overcome impediments to securing needed post-hospital care and support. METHODS: 494 consecutive admissions to the Mount Sinai Medical Center were evaluated for the quality of available support resources in the domains of housing, daily activity, and psychiatric treatment using the Mount Sinai Discharge Planning Inventory. On day seven, the same rater recorded the optimal discharge plan for each resource category and those impediment codes that were likely to interfere with attaining the desired resource. On discharge, the rater recorded the actual resources obtained for the patient, and if the plan did not meet the patient's needs, an impediment code was used to explain why the sub-optimal "discharge fit" was not secured. RESULTS: Having an impediment in any of the three resource categories (housing, daily activities, psychiatric treatment services) at day 7 was predictive of a sub-optimal discharge plan. Of all three resource categories studied, a decline in overall impediments from day 7 to discharge was significant only for psychiatric treatment services. An internal/clinical impediment in any of the three resource categories on day 7 was associated with a patient history of alcohol and drug abuse. A significant association was found between having external/environmental impediments identified at discharge for housing and psychiatric treatment services with return to the hospital within 90 days of discharge. CONCLUSION: Study of the impediments to the discharge planning effort provides an opportunity to elucidate the factors that comprise the pathway of recovery from psychiatric illness, but which are normally ill-defined, poorly understood, or not readily measured.

Activities of Daily Living↗