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Biomedical subjects

C Pascual

Publications and source records attributed to C Pascual.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of antioxidants on induction time of luminol luminescence elicited by 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1).

The reaction between luminol as a chemiluminescence probe and 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) as a peroxynitrite donor was evaluated in order to determine the action of several antioxidants. Several well-known antioxidants found in biological fluids or cells modify the light profile of the reaction between SIN-1 and luminol. One main modification was characterized by a transient suppression of the light signal, thus permitting evaluation of an induction time (sigma) which is linearly related to the concentration of the additive. From induction time measurements and using Trolox as a reference antioxidant, the trapping ability of a compound against oxidants and radicals produced in the luminol-SIN-1 reaction at pH 7. 4 was determined. Uric acid showed higher antioxidant capacity than Trolox, while bilirubin and ascorbic acid, in decreasing order, were slightly less efficient. On the other hand the main modification of the light signal produced by superoxide dismutase, desferrioxamine and myoglobin was characterized by a decrease of the luminescence during the course of the reaction. The reaction luminol-SIN-1 was compared with the known luminol-ABAP (2,2'-azo-bis-2-amidinopropane) method for evaluation of antioxidant capacity in human plasma, since this biological fluid modifies the luminol-SIN-1 reaction with well-defined induction times. Samples were obtained from patients with sepsis, a condition where it has been postulated that excess oxygen radicals including peroxynitrite are produced. Using Trolox as reference, the results (mean +/- standard error of mean) of both assays showed that the patients (SIN-1, 263 +/- 16; ABAP, 218 +/- 13; n = 19) have significantly (SIN-1, p < 0.02; ABAP, p < 0.001) lower values in comparison to non-septic controls (SIN-1, 330 +/- 16; ABAP, 398 +/- 16; n = 20). SIN-1 could be useful as a source of oxidant for the characterization of antioxidant behaviour in a system where superoxide and nitric oxide are simultaneously generated.

Antioxidants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Increase in differences in survival according to income per capita in Spain in the last quarter of the twentieth century].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate probability of survival in Spain from 1975 to 1995 according to income per capita quintiles. METHODS: The 50 provinces in Spain were ordered by income per capita in 1975, 1981, 1985, 1990 and 1995. For each quintile and year we estimated the probability of surviving 75 years from birth and the probability of survival in several age intervals in men and women. Probability was estimated by percentages. Subsequently, we calculated differences in the probability of survival between the highest and the lowest income per capita quintiles. RESULTS: Differences in the probability of surviving from birth to the age of 75 years increased from 1.3 in 1975 to 3.1 in 1995 in women, whereas in men the increase was from 0.1 in 1975 to 3.7 in 1995. CONCLUSIONS: In Spain, as in other developed countries, socioeconomic differences in premature mortality increased in the latter decades of the twentieth century.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Egg white-specific IgE level as a tolerance marker in the follow up of egg allergy.

Forty patients with symptomatic immediate hypersensitvity to egg who did not have atopic dermatitis were evaluated to determine if they continued to remain clinically symptomatic. Each had specific IgE in vitro and positive prick-test to egg. All patients were on an egg elimination diet. During the follow-up an open egg rechallenge was performed along with a determination of egg white-specific IgE by CAP System. The egg white-specific IgE values were higher in the positive challenge group than in the negative one (p < 0.01, Mann-Whitney Test). There was a direct proportional relationship between the levels of egg white-specific IgE and the likelihood of positive challenge. Specific IgE values above 1.20 KUA/L could be adequate grounds for delaying the follow-up of egg challenge.

Antibody Specificity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sensitization to inhalant allergens in children diagnosed with food hypersensitivity.

In order to characterize the profile of inhalant allergen sensitizations in patients with food hypersensitivity, we carried out a screening process using a standard panel of inhalant allergens by SPT. We screened 437 patients (mean age 5.4 years, 4.1 SD) who showed anti-allergen IgE to one or several foods, determined by both SPT and RAST. In each case in which a positive SPT to inhalant appeared, a new individualized search for these allergens was performed by both SPT and Phadezym RAST. We found sensitization to aeroallergens in 272 of the 437 children (62%) with sensitization to foods (52% of all patients were sensitized to pollens, 17% to dermatophagoides, and 26% to animal allergens). The number with sensitization to aeroallergens was proportionally increased in relation to the number of food sensitizations (p < 0.05). Sensitization to pollen allergen were found with higher frequency (p < 0.001) in patients with sensitization to fruits, legumes, and other vegetables (mainly walnuts, chestnuts, melons, or sunflower seeds) than in those sensitive to foods of animal origin. Sensitization to dermatophagoides and animal allergens did not show any special distribution relative to the kind of food sensitization. Seventeen patients with sensitization to egg showed sensitization to avian feathers. This type of sensitization did not appear in the remainder of patients evaluated.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Allergic reactions following skin contact with fish.

We evaluated the clinical characteristics found in 29 children who showed allergic symptoms after direct and/or indirect contact with fish, from 197 children diagnosed with IgE-mediated fish hypersensitivity. Allergic reactions to fish through ingestion began in most patients (79%) within the first 24 months of life. All the patients showed cutaneous symptoms, either alone or associated with other clinical manifestations. Whiff and hake were the species more frequently implicated in eliciting clinical manifestations upon ingestion. After diagnosis, all patients were placed on a strict fish avoidance diet. During this period of avoidance, 29 patients reported allergic reactions (mean age 5 years, 6 months; SD 4 years, 2 months) after incidental skin contact with fish. Clinical manifestations after touching fish were only cutaneous in 28 of the 29 studied patients. One showed local urticaria with wheezing. The majority reported two or more episodes. Incidental skin contact with fish could play an important role in accidental encounters with fish particles in children on a fish avoidance diet for fish IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. Such exposures could result in immunologic immediate contact reactions and in some cases could lead to systemic reactions (contact urticaria syndrome).

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Informatics and parenteral and enteral nutrition: the state of the art].

A review was performed of the progress made with the assistance of computers in the parenteral and enteral nutrition field as one more of the many uses made today of the computer industry. Detailed analysis is presented by the authors of the different types of hardware used, as well as the main characteristics and content of the programmes and applications existing in this field, both restricted to small working groups and in management. A comparative study was also made of the management programmes distributed free of charge by some laboratories. Finally, an evaluation was made of the advantages and disadvantages of using computers in parenteral and enteral nutrition at present.

Computers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of the amniotic fluid on the formation of spontaneous rosettes].

Since half of the fetal transplantation antigens are paternal in origen, the conceptus could be considered as a particular allogeneic graft not rejected by the mother. The reason for this particular kind of tolerance remains mostly unknown, and an enormous amount of experimental work, clinical observations and hypothesis, sometimes contradictory, has been accumulating in the scientific literature. So far no one has been able to set an unifying and coherent explanation. Recently Gupta and associates suggested that the amniotic fluid (A.F.) could have an immunosuppressive effect and protect the conceptus from the attack mediated by the mother's immunocompetent system. The basis for this approach is in a previous work made by Murgita and Tomasi in mice. These authors showed that the mouse A.F. has inhibitory effect on its T cells, and this action was well correlated with the alpha-fetopretein content in the A.F. Gupta studied A.F. from five normal human pregnancies and incubated it with lymphocytes obtained from healthy volunteers. These cells showed a clear decrease in its rosette forming abilities. Extrapolating from the Murgita and Tomasi work, conclusions were arrived at that the alpha-fetoprotein present in human A.F. was responsible for the inhibitory effect. We have obtained 23 human A.F. from non pathological, a term pregnancies, and studied its action upon rosette formation. Two populations of spontaneous rosette forming T cells could be assayed: those binding sheep red blood cells (SRBC) at room temperature (active rosettes), and those needing incubation for two hours at 4 degree C. These two populations differ on its affinity for the SRBC, being the "active" ones those probably involved in the effector arm of the specific cellular immunity. The A.F. were obtained by amniocentesis or transvaginal methods, and those grossly contaminated by erythrocytes were discarded. After centrifugation and Millipore filtering, pH and osmolarities were recorded. Blood obtained from healthy donors was centrifugated on Ficoll-Hypaque and the mononucleated cell layer washed twice and incubated with latex particles 0,81 mu diameter, in order to exclude those with phagocytosing properties on the final score. Aliquots of the cells were incubated in A.F. or Hanks balanced salt solution 30' at 37 degree C. After centrifugation the supernate was discarded, and the cell pellet resuspended in Hanks. The "active" rosette test was made according to Wybran, and the "late" test as described by Ross. A rosette was defined as a mononucleated cell without engulfed latex and with three or more SRBC binding on its surface. The mean percentage of total rosettes was 51.4 +/- 10.5 when incubated with L.A., and 50.1 +/- 9.7 in the Hanks controls. The statistical comparison between both series showed no significance. The mean active rosettes from the L.A. incubated cells was 33.7 +/- 9.4 and 33.8 +/-10.1 in the control group. Again the statistical significance was null as it was when each A.F. was compared with its control...

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urticaria induced by caffeine.

Caffeine has rarely been reported as the cause of allergic reactions. We describe a 10-year-old child who developed urticaria after the intake of coffee and cola beverages. The prick test and the oral challenge test with caffeine were both positive. Nevertheless, the oral challenge test with theophylline, another methylxanthine, was negative.

Caffeine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Syringomyelia due to arachnoiditis. Clinical-radiological description of 5 patients].

Five patients (mean age 44 years--range 21-67 years) with arachnoiditis of different origin who posteriorly developed syringomyelia are presented. The etiopathogenic mechanism of the arachnoiditis was post injury in one case, 2 patients had history of meningitis (tuberculous and pneumococcic) and in the other two no related factor was found. The period of latency among the causes which originated arachnoiditis and the diagnosis of syringomyelia oscillated between 10 months and 16 years. The localization of the cavity was dorsal in 3 cases, cervical in another and in the last it was extended along the whole spine. No patient demonstrated the Arnold-Chiari malformation nor basilar impression. Analyzing the clinical history, radiologic studies and surgical findings the most probable etiopathogenic mechanism involved in each case is discussed.

Adult↗