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Biomedical subjects

F Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to F Rodriguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effect of restricted feeding, fasting, and diabetes on the relationship between thyroid hormone receptor occupancy, growth hormone induction, and inhibition of thyrotropin release in thyroidectomized rats.

The present study was undertaken to test the effect of food restriction, fasting, and diabetes on the relationship between thyroid hormone receptor occupancy and two biological end points, GH production and the inhibition of TSH secretion, in thyroidectomized rats. The estimated maximal binding capacity (MBC) in diabetic (D) and fasting (F) rats and in animals limited to 25% (FR25) of the food consumption of normal (C) rats was decreased to 57%, 73%, and 76%, respectively, of C values (P < 0.01-0.001), whereas normal values were found in thyroidectomized (Tx) rats and in animals limited to 50% (FR50) of the food intake of C animals. The nuclear T3 content and T3 receptor occupancy were reduced, respectively, to 25% and 29% in Tx, 77% and 81% in FR50, 52% and 69% in FR25, 49% and 66% in F, and 36% and 64% in D rats of the corresponding C values (P < 0.05-0.001). Pituitaries from Tx, FR50, FR25, F, and D rats contained less GH than C pituitaries (0.14%, 81%, 69%, 88%, and 51%, respectively, of C pituitaries; P < 0.05-0.001). Plasma TSH was lower in FR50, FR25, F, and D rats than in C animals (78%, 57%, 52%, and 48%, respectively (P < 0.01-0.001)), and markedly increased in Tx animals. Administration of a single dose of 2, 5, or 10 micrograms T3/100 g BW to Tx C, Tx FR50, TX FR25, Tx F, and Tx D rats resulted in a similar and progressive increase in nuclear T3 in all groups, except for lower values in Tx D animals. However, receptor occupancy did not differ among the different groups at each T3 dose. This treatment resulted in a progressive increase in pituitary GH in all groups; however, in Tx FR50, Tx FR25, Tx F, and Tx D pituitaries, the GH responses to 10 micrograms T3 were only 77%, 59%, 44%, and 27%, respectively, of that in Tx C rats. (P < 0.05-0.001). Moreover, significant differences in the GH response to 10 micrograms T3 were observed among Tx FR50, Tx FR25, Tx F, and Tx D animals (P < 0.01-0.001). In addition plasma TSH levels in untreated Tx FR50, Tx FR25, Tx F, and Tx D rats were only 88%, 82%, 79%, and 72%, respectively, of that in Tx C animals (P < 0.05-0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Time correction for computing Michaelis--Menten kinetics.

A description of time correction applied to the integrated Michaelis equation in view of cancelling a non-correct estimation of the Michaelis constant due to a lack of coincidence between time zero of measurement and time zero of reaction is presented. An estimation of kinetic parameters is made with time correction on the same experimental set of data using a classical least squares iterative procedure.

Enzymes↗
PubMed1991

Targeting of lysosomal integral membrane protein LIMP II. The tyrosine-lacking carboxyl cytoplasmic tail of LIMP II is sufficient for direct targeting to lysosomes.

Time course experiments of the localization of rat LIMP II expressed in COS cells show that the protein is transported directly from the Golgi complex to lysosomes. Substitution of the tyrosine-lacking carboxyl cytoplasmic tail of LIMP II for the native cytoplasmic tails of the plasma membrane proteins CD36 and CD8 resulted in straight transport of both proteins to lysosomes. The synthetic tyrosine-containing heptapeptide, RGTGVYG, did not replace the natural carboxyl cytoplasmic tail of LIMP II in its ability to transport both CD36 and CD8 to lysosomes, and the two constructs were transported to and expressed at the plasma membrane. Substitution of the cytoplasmic tails of either CD36 or CD8 for the carboxyl cytoplasmic tail of LIMP II resulted in transport of the mutants to the plasma membrane where they underwent endocytosis before accumulating into lysosomes. The results indicate that a motif contained in the tyrosine-lacking carboxyl cytoplasmic tail of LIMP II is sufficient to target proteins directly from the Golgi complex to lysosomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Effect of physical training on lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, lipases, and endogenous sex hormones in men with premature myocardial infarction.

In 17 men, aged 27 to 54 years, with myocardial infarction 2 to 10 months before the current exercise study, we aimed to determine whether 3 months of exercise training, at a level designed to elevate high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), would be associated with changes in endogenous sex steroid hormones and postheparin lipoprotein and hepatic lipases, and whether the changes in sex hormones, lipids, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, and physical activity were interrelated. Supervised bicycle ergometry, 30 minutes, 3 days per week, eliciting 75% of maximum heart rate, produced a significant training effect, with a 26% increase in the duration of the exercise test at a standardized, submaximal workload (P less than or equal to .001), and a reduction in heart rate measured at a standardized submaximal workload, P = .08. After 3 months' training, mean HDLC increased 23% (30 to 37 mg/dL), P less than or equal to .001, mean apo A2 increased 19% (43 to 51 mg/dL), P less than or equal to .001, and the ratio of total cholesterol (TC) to HDLC decreased 26% (P less than or equal to .01), while estradiol (E2) levels decreased 45% (50.1 to 27.8 pg/mL), P less than or equal to .0001. After 1 and 2 months' exercise, TC (12% [P less than or equal to .001], 11% [P less than or equal to .01]), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) (13% [P less than or equal to .01], 12% [P less than or equal to .01]) were reduced. Hepatic lipase decreased 16% (P less than or equal to .01) and 16% (P less than or equal to .05) after 1 and 3 months' exercise. There were no significant changes in apo A1, lipoprotein lipase, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), or weight. By stepwise regression analysis, after 3 months' training, 66% (P = .0025) of the variance for the increase in HDLC from baseline to day 90 was accounted for independently by a decrease in triglyceride (F = 13.2, P = .003), by reduced heart rate on a fixed submaximal load (F = 12.7, P = .0035), and by a decrease in hepatic lipase (F = 5.5, P = .036). A modest, achievable exercise program can have significant cardiovascular benefit for men after myocardial infarction by ameliorating their hyperestrogenemia, reducing TC and LDLC, improving the TC to HDLC ratio, and elevating HDLC and apo A2. The increment in HDLC was related independently to improved capacity to sustain submaximal exercise and to exercise-induced reductions in triglyceride and postheparin hepatic lipase.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

First clinical implantation of the BCM 3.5 ventricular assist device (VAD).

We report on the first human implantation of the BCM 3.5 ventricular assist device in a 46-year-old man suffering from terminal stage cardiomyopathy. The circulatory support was used as a bridge to heart transplantation. The patient was in cardiogenic shock and was on assisted circulation for 18 days after which he underwent cardiac transplantation. While receiving support from the ventricular assist device, the patient's condition improved remarkably and 50 days after transplantation he was discharged from hospital. We give a detailed description of the surgical technique, with special emphasis on the procedures for air extraction. We describe the evolution of the hemodynamic status before and after implantation. Final inspection of the device and cannulae after removal showed no thrombi and only small fibrin deposits in the membrane-wall junction.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗
PubMed1991

Pulmonary intravascular macrophages in rabbits experimentally infected with rabbit haemorrhagic disease.

Attention has already been drawn to the presence of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in species in which the lung plays an important part in the removal of particles from the bloodstream. The stimulation of PIMs under certain conditions has been related to pulmonary oedema and congestion. In order to ascertain whether these cells are found in rabbits, healthy animals were inoculated with a liver homogenate obtained from animals which had died of rabbit haemorrhagic disease, a condition characterized by vascular phenomena and pulmonary oedema. PIMs were detected both in experimental and healthy control animals. They shared the morphological characteristics reported for other species, particularly with respect to the presence of intercellular junctions with endothelial cells. In experimental animals, PIMs were actively involved in the removal of cell debris which may or may not have been associated with the presence of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus antigen.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Immunohistological diagnosis of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in experimentally infected rabbits in Spain.

The immunoreactivity of routinely processed liver and lung tissue samples obtained from rabbits inoculated with tissue explants from naturally infected animals when antisera directed against parvovirus from different species (canine, feline and porcine) as well as a RHD virus antiserum were employed has been tested by different immunoperoxidase methods. Cross-reactivity between RHD-virus antigens and parvovirus antigens was present. Best results were obtained with RHD and canine parvovirus antisera with the ABC method. The immunoreactivity in the liver was found in hepatocytes, Kupffer and bile duct cells. In the lung, it was exclusively observed in intravascular macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Radiation-induced effects in multiprogrammable pacemakers and implantable defibrillators.

Twenty-three multiprogrammable pacemakers and four implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) containing either complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or CMOS/Bipolar integrated circuit (IC) technology were exposed to 6-MV photon and 18-MeV electron radiation at various dose levels. Of the 17 pacemakers exposed to photon radiation eight failed before 50 Gy, whereas four of the six pacemakers exposed to electron radiation failed before 70 Gy. Photon scatter doses were well tolerated. For the ICDs detection and charging time increased with accumulated radiation dose, the charging time increased catastrophically at less than 50 total pulses delivered when compared with the charging time of six implanted ICDs. Sensitivity and output energy delivered by the ICD pulse were constant during the test. It was found that devices using the shorter channel length IC technology (i.e., 3 microns CMOS) were per se harder to ionizing radiation than the devices using larger channel length IC technologies (i.e., either 8 microns CMOS or combined 5 microM CMOS/20 V Bipolar). In fact, none of the devices based on 3 microns CMOS IC technology failed before 76 Gy, which is above the highest dose level (70 Gy) normally used in radiation oncology treatments.

Electric Countershock↗
PubMed1991

Combining counterflow centrifugal elutriation and glycoprotein Ib-dependent purification of human megakaryocytes: efficacy and selectivity.

To estimate the efficacy of human megakaryocyte purification techniques, mixtures of known numbers of megakaryocytes with a known ploidy range and of bone marrow or peripheral blood mononuclear cells were made. These artificial bone marrow samples were submitted to either a counterflow centrifugal elutriation or Percoll density separation followed by the glycoprotein Ib-dependent agglutination procedure. Also crude bone marrow samples were submitted to counterflow centrifugal elutriation directly followed by a glycoprotein Ib-dependent agglutination. The counterflow centrifugal elutriation resulted in a mean megakaryocyte recovery of 81% (mean 81% +/- 2.3). Purification by glycoprotein Ib-dependent agglutination after either a Percoll density separation or counterflow centrifugal elutriation resulted in a recovery of 61% (mean 61% +/- 15%) and 81% (mean 81% +/- 6) respectively. Purity of the resulting material was 87% (mean 87% +/- 11) and 83% (mean 83% +/- 5) respectively. The various isolation procedures did not affect the ploidy distribution of megakaryocytes greater than or equal to 8N. Counterflow centrifugal elutriation was preferred as the preparing step before glycoprotein Ib-dependent agglutination because of the lower variability in recovery and purity of megakaryocyte populations. When large numbers of rather pure and mature megakaryocytes are required, counterflow centrifugal elutriation followed by the glycoprotein Ib-dependent agglutination is a relatively simple method to purify human megakaryocytes without an appreciable loss in ploidy class greater than or equal to 8N.

Bone Marrow Cells↗
PubMed1991

Sensitivity of thyrotropin secretion to TSH-releasing hormone in food-restricted rats.

The aim of the present study was to identify the mechanisms involved in the reduction of TSH secretion during prolonged food restriction. The basal TSH secretion rate, the TSH secreted in response to TRH, both in vivo and in vitro, and the TSH, nuclear T3, and plasma membrane TRH binding sites in the pituitary were determined in rats receiving 75% (FR75), 50% (FR50) and 25% (FR25) of the food consumed by the ad libitum fed rats (controls). The basal TSH secretion rate (microgram.h-1.(100 g)-1) in FR75, FR50 and FR25 groups were decreased by 19, 42 and 74% of control values, respectively, whereas the TSH secreted in response to TRH in vivo and in vitro was reduced by 21 and 13% in FR50, and 55 and 44% in FR25, respectively, of the corresponding control values. Food restriction increased the TRH binding sites from 229 in controls to 322, 479 and 521 (fmol/mg protein), in FR75, FR50 and FR25 groups, respectively, whereas the opposite was seen in nuclear T3(controls 862, FR75 841, FR50 342 FR25 233 fmol/mg DNA). Moreover, a decrease in the pituitary TSH concentration was observed in FR50 and FR25 rats. The data suggest that an alteration in the amount of TRH reaching the pituitary gland is probably the main responsible for the low plasma TSH values during food restriction. However, an inhibitory effect at the pituitary level cannot be ruled out.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The role of somatostatin and/or dopamine in basal and TRH-stimulated TSH release in food-restricted rats.

The present study was carried out to examine the role of endogenous dopamine and somatostatin in the mechanisms involved in the restricted feeding-induced inhibition of TSH secretion in rats. GH secretion was examined in parallel. Restricted feeding by 50% or 75% was associated with a decrease in the pituitary and circulating levels of TSH and GH in both untreated and TRH-treated groups (p less than 0.001), the changes being proportional to the feeding level. Intravenous injections of the dopamine antagonists, domperidone or haloperidol, failed to affect the magnitude of the differences in plasma TSH and GH levels among control and food-restricted groups, indicating that dopaminergic mechanisms had little effect on the regulation of TSH and GH secretion during restricted feeding in rats. Cerebroventricular injection of somatostatin anti-serum resulted in a marked increase in plasma TSH and GH levels in all the experimental groups (p less than 0.001). The increase in plasma GH and TSH induced by somatostatin anti-serum was greater in rats fed a 25% diet than in either controls or rats fed 50% of the diet; the values for the latter two groups were also different (p less than 0.001). The decreased TSH and GH values in somatostatin anti-serum-treated food restricted rats as compared with those in control animals on somatostatin anti-serum or normal rabbit serum can probably be attributed to the decreased available pituitary TSH and GH pools. The data indicate that long-term restricted feeding affects anterior pituitary function in rats, presumably reflecting alterations in the secretion of an inhibiting hormone, somatostatin.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[A comparative study of properties of paracetamol tablets of the matrix type].

Our study was to compare the quantitative and qualitative effects of 2 polymeric agents (méthylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) and of 2 diluants (lactose and dicalcic phosphate) on the compression properties and sustained liberation of acetaminophen matrixes. Three experimental plans were permitted the experimentation; regression equations were used for our analysis of the results. The results we obtained show the superiority importance of the effect of the diluant/acetaminophen ratio over the liberation of the drug, as well as the better efficiency of méthylcellulosic matrixes. Thence to its solubility, the lactose helps to a faster liberation.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1991

[Pilomatrix carcinoma. A new case].

We present a new case of Pilomatrix Carcinoma after having review the 22 cases previously published. The tumor arisen in a 74 years old male, in the left preauricular region. The lesion was excised with wide margins. A year after there is not any evidence of recurrence or metastases.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Changes in the protein synthesis pattern during a nutritional shift-down transition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells (strain A364A) during a shift-down from glucose to raffinose, a rapid reduction in the rate of RNA accumulation was observed whereas the rate of protein accumulation was unaffected for at least 2 h. Following the transition the percentage of unbudded cells slightly increased and the cell volume distribution showed a newly formed subpopulation of smaller cells. To study the effects of the shift-down on the protein synthesis pattern, total [35S]-methionine pulse-labeled extracts were fractionated by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The synthesis of two classes of proteins (I and II) was modulated during the transitory state of growth: one positively, the other negatively. Two polypeptides of 57 kDa showed the most dramatic increase in synthesis during the shift-down. Also a heat-shock protein (HSP 256) appeared to be positively correlated to the shift-down transition.

Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional↗
PubMed1989

Release of oxytocin within the supraoptic nucleus during the milk ejection reflex in rats.

To investigate the hypothesis that oxytocin may be released within the magnocellular nuclei in vivo, push-pull cannula perfusions were performed in anaesthetized lactating rats in one supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus while recording the intramammary pressure and/or the electrical activity of oxytocin cells in the contralateral supraoptic nucleus. Oxytocin content was measured in samples collected over 15 min, under various conditions: 1) with no stimulation; 2) during suckling and suckling-induced reflex milk ejections; 3) during electrical stimulation of the neuro-hypophysis by trains of pulses that mimicked oxytocin cell bursts; 4) under osmotic stimulation by i.p. injection of 2 ml of 1.5 M NaCl to evoke a tonic and sustained oxytocin release from the neurohypophysis. Oxytocin release within the supraoptic nucleus increased significantly during the milk ejection reflex and, to a lesser extent, during burst-like electrical stimulation of the neurohypophysis. In suckled rats, the increase started before the first reflex milk ejection occurred. There was no apparent correlation between the amount of oxytocin in the perfusates and the number of milk ejections and oxytocin cell bursts occurring during each perfusion period. The amount of oxytocin in the perfusates further increased-during facilitation of the milk ejection reflex by intraventricular injections of oxytocin or its analogue, isotocin. When suckling failed to evoke the milk ejection reflex, there was no change in intra-supraoptic oxytocin release. There was also no change after osmotic stimulation. When the push-pull cannula was positioned outside the supraoptic nucleus, there was no increase in the amount of oxytocin during the three types of stimulation tested. These results provide evidence for an endogenous release of oxytocin within the magnocellular nuclei in lactating rats. It is suggested that the increase in such a release induced by suckling is likely to be a prerequisite for the onset and the maintenance of the characteristic intermittent bursting electrical activity of oxytocin cells leading to milk ejections.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Changes in histamine synthesis, tissue content and catabolism in human breast cancer.

The present study in 10 breast cancer patients supports the concept that newly synthetized, nascent histamine is involved in tumour growth. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity is increased in mammary tumour tissue compared to healthy mammary gland-, skin- and muscle tissue in all but one patient studied. The newly formed histamine is probably not stored in the tumour tissue. Significantly decreased histamine concentrations were measured in parallel samples in the tumour tissue. Moreover, the preliminary results from urinary analysis of histamine and N tau-methylhistamine in 3 of the 10 patients studied showed a significant decline after tumour extirpation compared to preoperative values.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Blood biochemistry values of sheep (Ovis aries ligeriensis).

1. Analysis of biochemical parameters were carried out on material pooled from 30 female sheep (Ovis aries ligeriensis). 2. The values determined were for the common metabolites and enzymes utilized for specific studies in general metabolism (urea, glucose, cholesterol, lipids, bilirubin, uric acid, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, GOT, GPT, LDH, LAP, CGT, CK and amylase). 3. Results of these studies were compared with values from normal human adults. 4. The differences obtained in human and sheep ranges can be explained by the different physiology of the two species. 5. This study gives values for the sheep as an experimental animal in biomedical research.

Animals↗