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Biomedical subjects

M E Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to M E Rodriguez.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Effects of classical and atypical antipsychotic drugs on isolation-induced aggression in male mice.

A series of classical, atypical and putative antipsychotic drugs were compared for their ability to inhibit isolation-induced intraspecies aggression with affinity for D-2 dopamine receptors and induction of akinesia. The majority of drugs tested significantly inhibited aggressive behavior only after doses that greatly decreased the ability of mice to move. Even though akinesia seemed to account for inhibition of aggression there was no apparent correlation with binding to striatal D-2 receptors.

Aggression↗
PubMed1989

Motor complications associated with chronic levodopa therapy in Parkinson's disease.

Fluctuations and dyskinesias are the 2 main motor complications associated with chronic levodopa therapy. Striatal denervation following degeneration of the substantia nigra dopaminergic projections is probably the major pathophysiologic mechanism underlying motor fluctuations. In addition, pathologic modification of striatal receptors, partially related to the nonphysiologic delivery of levodopa in a discontinuous pulsatile mode, may be responsible for the various types of dyskinesias and sudden "off" episodes. Drugs capable of providing a stable dopaminergic stimulation should be particularly useful for preventing the development of motor complications in patients not yet treated. At the other end of the clinical spectrum, patients with complex fluctuations are the least likely to improve with slow-release levodopa preparations.

Dementia↗
PubMed1988

The epidemiology of alcohol consumption in Spain.

This paper is a comprehensive review of the available information about alcohol consumption in Spain. Alcohol use is the most severe drug problem among both young people and adults; almost half the Spanish population drink daily, and more than a fourth drink a quantity of alcohol sufficient to cause health problems in the long term. The consumption of alcohol may be considered to be culturally rooted when compared with other drug use which follows a more recent epidemic pattern. For those who use other drugs, for example cannabis and cocaine, alcohol is commonly used in conjunction. Clearly the level of alcohol use and abuse is high in Spain and constitutes a severe public health and socioeconomic problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Substance use among medical students in Barcelona (Spain). A comparison with previous surveys.

During the academic year 1983-1984, a survey on drug consumption was conducted among medical students in Barcelona. There was a high proportion of smokers in both sexes. Alcohol consumption was four times higher among men than women; high proof beverages were becoming the most common drinks. Coffee was the caffeine drink consumed by almost the whole population studied. Although cannabis derivatives had been tried at least once by almost all the students, regular consumers were almost non-existent. Amphetamine consumption was restricted to examination periods. The use of opiates, cocaine, hallucinogens, and solvents was rare for the sample. Results from this study are compared with those from similar surveys conducted 5 and 10 years ago.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Combined hypothalamic hypothyroidism and secondary adrenal insufficiency. Misdiagnosed as primary hypothyroidism.

A case of combined, selective, hypothalamic hypothyroidism and secondary adrenal insufficiency is described. Serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), before and after thyrotropin-releasing factor (TRF) administration, were in the range generally considered to be indicative of primary, rather than secondary, hypothyroidism. Hence, the clinical usefulness of serum TSH levels to unequivocally provide an accurate distinction between primary and secondary hypothyroidism must be questioned. The paucity of clinical findings suggestive of adrenal insufficiency in this case is emphasized, and the usefulness of adrenal screening tests in hypothyroid subjects seems clear.

Adrenal Insufficiency↗
PubMed1977

The role of the submandibular glands in extrarenal erythropoietin production in mice.

The plasma erythropoietic activity of anephric mice and anephric mice without submandibular glands was compared. The erythropoietin production was stimulated by anemia (phenylhydrazine) and hypobaric hypoxia (0.4 atm). The activity was measured by the 59Fe incorporation in total circulating red blood cells in mice rendered polycythemic by hypoxia. The results were also calculated in units (IRP) of erythropoietin. The plasma erythropoietic activity of anephric mice was neutralized by antiserum against normal erythropoietin. Extrarenal erythropoietin production was significantly reduced in mice deprived of submandibular glands. These data indicate that this phenomenon is not restricted to the rat and support the concept that the submandibular glands are important extrarenal sources of erythropoietin.

Anemia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Release of lipopolysaccharide during Bordetella pertussis growth.

The effect of the addition of (2,6-O-dimethyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (Me beta CD) during growth of Bordetella pertussis in synthetic Stainer-Scholte liquid medium (SS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS; endotoxin) release was investigated. The Me beta CD concentration used (3 mg/ml) was chosen according to the optimal level found in previous studies to enhance major soluble antigen production. The profiles in SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) of LPS extracted from cells grown in SS and SS + Me beta CD media revealed similar patterns. Although the LPS content of whole cells decreased during cell growth, yields obtained at different growth periods in cyclodextrin medium were lower than those corresponding to SS medium alone. Consequently, the level of LPS released in supernatants of both media increased during cellular growth. This amount of free LPS was higher in the cyclodextrin liquid medium and became significant at the beginning of the stationary growth phase. Binding of cyclodextrin to pertussis cells could account for the data obtained. Similar results were obtained with all species of the genus Bordetella.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of UV absorbance To monitor furans in dilute acid hydrolysates of biomass.

A simple method based on UV spectra was developed for the estimation of total furans (furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural) in hemicellulose hydrolysates. UV spectra of hemicellulose hydrolysate contained a single dominant peak at around 278 nm. Approximately two-thirds of this peak can be attributed to furan absorbance (furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural). At 284 nm, both furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural have equal absorbance on a weight basis. A comparison of HPLC determinations for different samples of hydrolysate was used to develop a simple equation that allows the accurate prediction of total furans based on the difference in absorbance at 284 and 320 nm. This method may prove useful for quality control applications during the production of biomass syrups using a dilute acid hydrolysis process and during treatments for the amelioration of toxins. Although furans represent only a portion of the toxins present in hemicellulose hydrolysates, the abundance of furans appears to serve as a useful marker to predict relative toxicity.

Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Detoxification of dilute acid hydrolysates of lignocellulose with lime.

The hydrolysis of hemicellulose to monomeric sugars by dilute acid hydrolysis is accompanied by the production of inhibitors that retard microbial fermentation. Treatment of hot hydrolysate with Ca(OH)(2) (overliming) is an effective method for detoxification. Using ethanologenic Escherichia coli LY01 as the biocatalyst, our results indicate that the optimal lime addition for detoxification varies and depends on the concentration of mineral acids and organic acids in each hydrolysate. This optimum was shown to be readily predicted on the basis of the titration of hydrolysate with 2 N NaOH at ambient temperature to either pH 7.0 or pH 11.0. The average composition of 15 hydrolysates prior to treatment was as follows (per L): 95.24 +/- 7.29 g sugar, 5.3 +/- 2.99 g acetic acid, 1.305 +/- 0.288 g total furans (furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural), and 2.86 +/- 0.34 g phenolic compounds. Optimal overliming resulted in a 51 +/- 9% reduction of total furans, a 41 +/- 6% reduction in phenolic compounds, and a 8.7 +/- 4.5% decline in sugar. Acetic acid levels were unchanged. Considering the similarity of microorganisms, it is possible that the titration method described here may also prove useful for detoxification and fermentation processes using other microbial biocatalysts.

Acids↗