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A del Castillo

Publications and source records attributed to A del Castillo.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Mitochondrial cholesterol transport: a possible target in the management of hyperlipidemia.

Sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) may defend cells against accumulation of excess cholesterol, making this enzyme a possible target in the management of hyperlipidemia. The study objective was to analyze cholesterol homeostatic responses to increases in CYP27A1 activity in HepG2 cells and primary human hepatocytes. Increasing CYP27A1 activity by increasing enzyme expression led to significant increases in bile acid synthesis with compensatory increases in HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity/protein, LDL receptor (LDLR) mRNA, and LDLR-mediated cholesterol uptake. Under these conditions, only a small increase in cellular 27-hydroxycholesterol (27OH-Chol) concentration was observed. No changes were detected in mature sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP) 1 or 2. Increasing CYP27A1 activity by increasing mitochondrial cholesterol transport (i.e., substrate availability) led to greater increases in bile acid synthesis with significant increases in cellular 27OH-Chol concentration. Mature SREBP 2 protein decreased significantly with compensatory decreases in HMGR protein. No change was detected in mature SREBP 1 protein. Despite increasing 27OH-Chol and lowering SREBP 2 protein concentrations, LDLR mRNA increased significantly, suggesting alternative mechanisms of LDLR transcriptional regulation. These findings suggest that regulation of liver mitochondrial cholesterol transport represents a potential therapeutic strategy in the treatment of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed2005

Cost-effectiveness analysis of the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia with linezolid or vancomycin in Spain.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of linezolid (LIN) versus vancomycin (VAN) for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) using a decision model analysis from the National Health System perspective. Patients and participants comprising four subgroups were analyzed: all, Gram-positive (GP), Staphylococcus aureus (SA), methicillin-resistant SA (MRSA). The treatments were LIN 600 mg i.v., every 12 hours, 10 days and VAN 1,000 mg i.v., every 12 hours 10 days. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness of LIN in terms of cost per added quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. The secondary outcome was the marginal cost per year of life saved (LYS) generated by using LIN. Clinical cure and survival rates estimates were derived from a retrospective analysis of two trials comparing LIN with VAN. QALY was based on time-trade off study. Resource use and unit costs (Euros 2003) were obtained from Spanish VAP treatment and health cost databases. The additional QALY and LYS per LIN patients were 0.392; 0.688; 0.606; 1.805 and 0.471; 0.829; 0.729; 2.175 respectively, compared with those of VAN in the patients with VAP (all, GP, SA, and MRSA, respectively). The additional costs for LYS with LIN, as compared to VAN were 1,501.31; 827.63; 955.13 and 289.51 Euros, respectively. The additional cost per QALY with LIN was 1,803.87; 997.25; 1,149.00 and 348.85 Euros, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: LIN was more cost-effective than VAN in the treatment of VAP in Spain, with an additional cost per QALY/LYS gained below the acceptable threshold in Spain of Euros 30,000 for new therapies.

Acetamides↗
PubMed2005

A specific primer pair for the diagnosis and identification of Acanthamoeba astronyxis by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is a useful tool for species identification. The obtained band patterns can be used for specific primer pair design that is useful for species identification. In this study, a distinctive 485-bp band in Acanthamoeba astronyxis band patterns was found, using the OPC20 primer (ACTTCGCCAC). The band specificity was confirmed by hybridization, using it as a probe, against all OPC20 amplifications from different Acanthamoeba species. Once the fragment was sequenced, we used it to design a specific primer pair that was useful for the identification of different isolates as A. astronyxis species.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed2003

Development of a rapid polymerase chain reaction-ELISA assay using polystyrene beads for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA.

AIMS: To develop a rapid colourimetric assay for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA using polystyrene beads as solid support. METHODS AND RESULTS: A nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-ELISA assay for the detection of T. gondii DNA was standardized by optimizing the hybridization time and probe concentration. Its detection threshold was then determined and compared with Southern blotting hybridization. These were found to be equivalent, but the PCR-ELISA-beads test is easier to perform and the turnaround time is much shorter than with Southern blot. CONCLUSIONS: The PCR-ELISA-beads assay is a valuable tool for the detection of T. gondii DNA. SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our results demonstrate that this PCR-ELISA assay, using polystyrene beads, can be used as a routine diagnostic test for the detection of T. gondii in clinical laboratories.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Small-scale isolation of high molecular weight DNA from Leishmania braziliensis.

In this paper, we report a method for isolation of high molecular weight DNA from Leishmania promastigotes. This technique is especially indicated for small-scale purification of DNA suitable for the construction of highly representative genomic libraries. In our protocol, lysis buffer is compatible with RNase treatment, avoiding an additional precipitation step and consequent shearing of DNA. In order to prove the quality of the DNA isolated by this method, a Leishmania braziliensis genomic library was constructed, and an L. braziliensis KMP-11 gene was cloned after screening the library with a heterologous probe.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Validation of a rapid method for extraction of total RNA applied to Leishmania promastigotes.

This report explains a rapid procedure (approximately 50 min) for the isolation of highly purified total RNA from Leishmania promastigotes based on extraction with acidic phenol. The simplicity of the manipulations required make this method ideal for processing multiple samples; the quality of the RNA obtained is suitable for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A subtropical case of human babesiosis.

This report constitutes the first well-documented case of symptomatic human babesiosis from a subtropical site, south of the 40th parallel. This paper describes the definitive identification of Babesia divergens infection in a splenectomized patient from the Canary Islands.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A serologic study of human toxocariasis in the Canary Islands (Spain): environmental influences.

The presence of anti-Toxocara antibodies in the human population of the Canarian Archipelago was studied by means of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with excretory/secretory antigen of infective-stage larva. A total of 14,074 were analyzed, resulting in the following distribution and prevalence by location: southern Tenerife 6,435 (2.5% positive), northern Tenerife 1,710 (6.7% positive), La Palma 1,214 (4.5% positive), La Gomera 264 (6.8% positive), El Hierro 204 (3.9% positive), Gran Canaria 2,875 (2.3% positive). Fuerteventura 277 (1.8% positive), and Lanzarote 1,095 (2.9% positive). The weighted average of the entire Archipelago was 3.4% positive. Neither age nor sex was found to be significantly associated with positive serology. The influence of the different Canarian mesoclimates on the spreading of this zoonosis is demonstrated, with significant differences being found between humid and arid islands. Likewise, a significant positive correlation was found between De Martonne's humidity-aridity index and percentage of people with evidence of parasite exposure on the different islands.

Adolescent↗