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Biomedical subjects

E Marín

Publications and source records attributed to E Marín.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Activity of taraxasteryl acetate on inflammation and heat shock protein synthesis.

Pluchea sagittalis whole plant dichloromethane extract showed inhibitory activity in several inflammatory models: rat hind paw-edema, mice ear edema, and air-pouch rat granuloma. The extract inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in stimulated human neutrophils. It also showed inhibitory effect on heat shock protein 72 (hsp72) synthesis in stimulated neutrophils, while it had opposite effects on unstimulated cells. The triterpene taraxasteryl acetate was obtained from the dichloromethane extract by bioassay directed isolation, being active against induced ROS and RNS production in human neutrophils. In mice ear edema (induced by phorbol-12-mirystate-13-acetate, croton oil and arachidonic acid), taraxasteryl acetate showed a topical anti-inflammatory activity similar to the extract, but at 1/20 of the dose. The same ratio was observed for the inhibition of hsp72 production in stimulated human neutrophils. In unstimulated monocytes and neutrophils, taraxasteryl acetate showed a higher stimulating activity of hsp72 production than the extract, involving different mechanisms in each cell type. To our knowledge, taraxasteryl acetate is the first natural product for which a dual effect on the hsp response is reported.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Photoacoustic determination of iron in corn meal.

We report here on the use of the photoacoustic technique for the determination of low concentrations of total iron in corn meal samples. The determination of this element in food is of considerable interest because several foods are currently enriched with it at proper levels in order to increase the resistance of people, after consumation, to several diseases, such as anemia. The proposed technique is based on an open photoacoustic cell configuration in conjunction with a suitable colorimetric method. We applied it to a measurement of the total iron concentration in corn meal samples. The results agree very well with those obtained using a conventional spectrophotometric method, showing the possibilities of new experimental methodologies based on photothermal methods to perform this kind of study, with the advantage of a higher sensitivity and increment of the range of appreciable absorbance.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2003

Septic arthritis due to Streptococcus bovis in a patient with cirrhosis of enolic etiology.

We present a case of bacteremia and septic arthritis due to Streptococcus bovis biotype I after shock, in a patient with liver cirrhosis of enolic etiology. Diagnosis was made based on a clinical setting of fever and a painful shoulder. The presence of colonic neoplasia was ruled out in this patient and the bacteremia developed without endocarditis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2001

How effective has been the reduction of SO2 emissions on the effect of acid rain on ecosystems?

The paper attempts to assess the effectiveness of the reduction of SO2 emissions over recent years for protection of ecosystems in both Europe and eastern USA by analysis of temporal changes in the acidifying potential (AP) of wet deposition defined as [SO4(2-)] - ([Ca2+] + [Mg2+]). Spatial and temporal patterns of acidifying potential were studied. The main result is that there is no statistical evidence for a trend towards improvement in the acidifying potential, because there have been declines in Ca precipitation. This suggests that the reduction of SO2 emissions has not been effective as an abatement strategy.

Acid Rain↗
PubMed2001

The evolution of the pH in Europe (1986-1997) using panel data.

The temporal evolution of pH values in precipitation over Europe during the period 1986-1997 is examined using panel data. The use of panel data techniques allows us to determine the temporal evolution of groups of stations rather than analyzing the temporal behavior of each of them. The analysis reveals three different temporal patterns: Peripheral, Central and French. We find a significant increasing trend (P < 0.00001) in both Peripheral and Central patterns. The annual increases are +0.057 pH-units yr(-1) and +0.022 pH-units yr(-1) respectively. However the French pattern is characterized by a significant decreasing trend (P < 0.004) and the annual decrease is -0.022 pH-units yr(-1). The standard errors of panel data estimates are around 47% smaller than those of classical pooling and 32% smaller than aggregate time-series regression. The use of panel data produces higher R2 values than classical pooling and aggregate data. This technique takes into account the individual heterogeneity, allows a larger number of data points and improves the efficiency of the estimates. In general, the policies of governments to reduce pollutant emissions seem to be effective.

Acid Rain↗
PubMed2001

Activity of plant extracts on the respiratory burst and the stress protein synthesis.

Aqueous, methanol and dichloromethane extracts from Artemisia copa, Baccharis grisebachii, Baccharis incarum, Baccharis latifolia, Mutisia kurtzii and Pluchea sagittalis, plants used in the Traditional Medicine of South America, are studied for activity on the respiratory burst and the inducible heat shock protein of 72 kD (hsp72) synthesis. Activity on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), as well as on hsp72 synthesis was measured by flow cytometry in human neutrophils. Cells were stimulated using hydrogen peroxide, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) for ROS generation, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or PMA in the presence of calmodulin inhibitor W-13 for RNS. The production of hsp72 was induced by heat, PMA, H2O2 and SNP. The best inhibitory activity was shown by the dichloromethane extracts of Baccharis grisebachii and Pluchea sagittalis that were active in all the assays. The aqueous extract of Pluchea sagittalis was also active in most assays. The aqueous extract from Mutisia kurtzii caused a clear increase of the hsp72 production and showed prooxidant activity.

Asteraceae↗
PubMed2001

Multivariate space analysis of the major precipitation ions over Europe, 1986-1997.

The annual average concentrations (1986-1997) of the major ions SO4(2-), NO3-, Cl-, NH4+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and K+ in precipitation are analyzed for selected EMEP stations. The objective is to determine the ion patterns or typologies in precipitation by principal component analysis (PCA) combined with a cluster analysis. SO4(2-) and NO3- ions are predominant in central and eastern Europe. This area corresponds to high emissions of SO2 and NO2. Sea spray ions are predominant in coastal sites. The soil components show an important contribution in southern Europe, possibly due to the soil dust transported from northern Africa.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2000

Mechanisms involved in the hemodynamic alterations in congestive heart failure as a basis for a rational pharmacological treatment.

Congestive heart failure is a complex syndrome and one of the major cardiological problems of our time. It is characterized by an important neurohumoral activation to compensate for the reduction of cardiac output and blood pressure, that worsens the prognosis with time. The aim of the treatment is focused on how to improve the quality of life and how to prolong survival. Usually, treatment, either symptomatic or directed to control the neuroendocrine compensatory changes, is necessary. The drugs currently used are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, diuretics, digoxin, and beta-adrenoceptor agonists. In addition, new drugs, such as angiotensin II receptor antagonists, beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, ibopamine, Ca(2+) antagonists, neutral endopeptidase inhibitors, vasopressin antagonists, Ca(2+)-sensitizers with cyclic AMP-dependent or -independent mechanisms, and endothelin antagonists, are also being used.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Guidelines of the Spanish Society of Cardiology for clinical practice in exercise testing].

Most exercise testing is performed in adults with known or suspected ischemic heart disease. In the last few years cardiac imaging techniques have been applied in this field, improving the information obtained with the procedure. However, the exceptions to this rule are emerging rapidly not only in healthy people (asymptomatic individuals, athletes, handicapped people) but also in cardiac patients (advanced congestive heart failure, hypertension, rhythm disorders, congenital heart disease, etc.). All the-se issues justify the need for a multidisciplinary consensus document in Spain. This paper reviews and updates the methodological aspects of the stress test, including those related to oxygen consumption measurements. The main aim of this review was to determine the role of exercise testing in the evaluation of ischemic heart disease as well as the applications of imaging stress testing. The usefulness of this test in other non-ischemic cardiac disorders and in selected subsets of healthy people is also reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Changes in plasma oxidative state with age and their influence on contractions elicited by noradrenaline in the rat tail artery.

The present study analyzes the changes in plasma oxidative state with age and their influence on the contractions induced by noradrenaline (NA) in endothelium-denuded segments from the tail artery of 6- (young), 24- (old) and 30- (very old) month-old Sprague Dawley rats. The sensitivity (-log EC50) to NA increased with age, this increase being higher in old than in very old animals. Moreover, the maximum response (Emax) to NA did not change in old rats, whereas decreased in very old animals. We also found a progressive increase in the plasma oxidative state with age, measured as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, that was accompanied by a decrease in the plasma antioxidative state, measured as glutathione peroxidase activity. In addition, MDA (0.5, 1 and 10 microM) potentiated the NA responses in 6-, 24- and 30-month-old rats, respectively, without affecting Emax. In young animals, catalase (1000 U/ml) or dimethylsulfoxide (7 mM), scavengers of hydrogen peroxide or hydroxyl radicals, respectively, did not modify either the contractions induced by NA in control situation or the potentiation of these responses caused by MDA. However, the superoxide anion scavenger, superoxide dismutase (SOD, 150 U/ml), completely reversed the increase in sensitivity to NA caused by MDA, without affecting NA responses in control situation. These results suggest that the increase in NA sensitivity with age could be due, at least in part, to the enhancement of plasma oxidative state during aging. In addition, in this alteration of the responses to NA caused by MDA, the generation of superoxide anions appears to be involved. This study supports the hypothesis that the enhancement of plasma oxidative state could play an important role in the increase of vascular resistance with age.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Anti-inflammatory action of Pluchea sagittalis: involvement of an antioxidant mechanism.

Pluchea sagittalis, (Lam.) Cabr., a popular medicinal herb grown in South America, was studied for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The anti-edema action of P. sagittalis aqueous extract was assayed in different models of inflammation: 1) the mouse ear edema test induced by arachidonic acid and croton oil; 2) the rat hind-paw edema test produced by several inflammatory inductors: carrageenan, dextran, zymosan, platelet-activating factor (PAF) and arachidonic acid; 3) a subacute model based on the rat carrageenan air-pouch granuloma test. Blood leukocyte free radical production was measured by flow cytometry with 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) in vivo, in rats with induced air-pouch granuloma, and in a model in vitro. stimulating leukocytes with hydrogen peroxide. The aqueous extract of P. sagittalis showed a marked anti-inflammatory effect in both ear edema tests, dextran and carrageenan hind-paw edemas and carrageenan air-pouch model. It also had a potent antioxidant activity in blood leukocytes, both in vivo and in vitro. Our results correlate the reduction of free radical production with the anti-inflammatory effect of this plant.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of Baccharis trimera: identification of its active constituents.

The butanolic fraction (BT-II) derived from the aqueous crude extract was prepared from aerial parts of Baccharis trimera and assessed in anti-inflammatory, analgesia, and ulcerogenesis models. Intraperitoneal pretreatment with lyophilized BT-II, at doses ranging from 40 to 100 mg/kg, markedly inhibited carrageenan- and dextran-induced inflammation (70.4-90.8% and 25.7-71.3%, respectively) and weakly decreased C16-paf- and arachidonic acid-induced swelling (24.9-36.7% and 0-30.6%, respectively). No effect was observed, at the same doses, on zymosan-induced edema. The intraperitoneal examination indicates that the anti-phlogistic action of BT-II was not due to an irritating effect at the injection site. Besides, BT-II reduced abdominal constrictions in mice following injection of acetic acid: at 50 mg/kg, it gave 67.4% inhibition and, at 100 mg/kg, 95.1%. The ulcerogenic assay showed that the incidence of ulcers after BT-II i.p. treatment was 2/6 at 50 mg/kg and 6/6 at 100 mg/kg. Ulcerogenic indices were 1.3 +/- 0.5 and 2.7 +/- 0.8, respectively. These results indicate that B.trimera shows strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which seem to be due, at least partly, to the inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis. The chromatographic separation of BT-II monitored by bio-assay (carrageenan-induced edema test in mice) was carried out. The active constituents were found to be mainly saponins in which echinocystic acid (or its enantiomer) is the major aglycone, and also rutin.

Acetates↗
PubMed1995

Heart rate variability and inappropriate sinus tachycardia after catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardia.

Sinus tachycardia has been reported after radiofrequency catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardia. Frequently, these patients require beta-blocking agents for symptomatic control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the incidence of inappropriate sinus tachycardia and heart rate variability after ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and accessory pathways. Patients undergoing ablation had 24-h ambulatory monitoring ECG (Holter) performed before the procedure, on the day of the ablation, and 3 months afterwards. There were 170 patients, mean age 48 +/- 23 years; 93 were female. A complete study of the 24-h Holter with analysis of heart rate variability: SD, rMSSD, pNN50, high and low frequency was obtained. There was a low prevalence of inappropriate sinus tachycardia after the ablation procedure (10 of 170 patients: five with four atrioventricular nodal reentry, with posteroseptal accessory pathways and one of the latter following ablation of the left accessory pathway). There was no modification of time and frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability in the remaining patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation. Holter monitoring 3 months after ablation showed that parameters of heart rate and heart rate variability had normalized in patients who had developed inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Inappropriate sinus tachycardia may be initiated by both radiofrequency ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia and radiofrequency ablation of posteroseptal accessory pathways. Specific damage to the posteroseptal region is responsible for these changes, which usually recover spontaneously after 3 months.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[An analysis of research projects on primary care presented to the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria during 1991].

DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional study. SETTING: Proposals on primary health care (domain, functions and activities) identified among a total of the 1412, belonging to all topics, submitted to the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria during the 1991 exercise. INTERVENTIONS: Proposals were classified according the degree of quality in the methodological fulfillment, pointed out those accepted for grant by the Technical Evaluation Committees. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: 55 proposals about Primary Health Care were identified which account for 3.8% of the all proposals submitted. The degree of topic pertinence was very high with hypothesis and objectives well set out. There was a poor fulfillment of the methods and plan of action. Those projects with a very good fulfillment were accepted in a 90% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The reviewed proposals shaw a good pertinence in the research on primary health care. We could notice a growing portion of researchers well trained with exigent methodological criteria. However, it remains a majority of proposals with poor methodological fulfillment which could easily be improved by increasing research training and expert support. Some advices are offered for the elaboration of research projects.

Health Services Research↗
PubMed1992

[Evaluation of the results of the research funded by the Health Research Fund in 1988].

BACKGROUND: To analyse the scientific product of research projects funded by Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria in 1988 emphasizing its relation to money granted. METHODS: 270 out of 610 projects were evaluated in relation to the amount granted. The number of papers published to each project and the impact factor assigned to the journals where these papers were published; we also assessed the mean cost of papers and impact factor units. These projects were coded following UNESCO classifications, and papers as per ISI standards. RESULTS: A total of 95 projects out of the 270 analysed produced no papers; the other 175 projects yielded 471 articles (2.7 per project); the mean cost of each article was 1.1 million pesetas, or 0.8 million if only the productive projects were considered. These papers reached a total of 818,709 impact factor units; the mean cost of the impact factor unit is 660,796 pesetas, or 459,626 pesetas if only productive projects are considered. CONCLUSIONS: Non productive projects were those that received less funding. 33% of projects produced papers published in journals with an assigned impact factor equal or inferior to one. There are evident differences among areas of knowledge in terms of impact factor. This study must be completed with a statistical analysis of reported data.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗