PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Pedrosa

Publications and source records attributed to M Pedrosa.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Palatability of hydrolysates and Other substitution formulas for cow's milk-allergic children: a comparative study of taste, smell, and texture evaluated by healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Hydrolyzed formulas used to feed infants with cow's milk-allergy can be classified as soy based, extensively hydrolyzed (casein, whey and mixed), and amino-acid based. Their unsatisfactory taste is reported by parents and physicians. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain the palatability of these formulas in a double-blind taste test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty healthy volunteers performed a randomized-order double-blind test with 12 different milks. The taste, smell, smell, and texture of each formula were evaluated o n scales ranging from 1 (worst) t o 5 (best). The Pearson correlation coefficient between the peptide weight of each formula and the score obtained for each evaluated attribute was calculated. RESULTS: The soy formulas and rice formula had the best taste scores, followed by the whey hydrolysates; the mixed hydrolysates and the casein hydrolysates had the lowest taste scores. Individually the most palatable formula was mixed hydrolysate 1, by total score. We found a statistically significant correlation between peptide weight, reflecting the degree of hydrolysis of each formula, and the scores obtained for taste, texture, and overall palatability. CONCLUSION: The palatability of formulas is determined by the amount of bitter peptides obtained through hydrolysis. Flavorings and sweeteners may also contribute to palatability. Further studies are needed in order to determine how to modify the organoleptic properties of these products with the purpose of improving their palatability.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Age and bioavailability of alcohol.

UNLABELLED: It has been shown that advanced age results in a decreased first pass metabolism (FPM) of ethanol with elevated serum ethanol concentrations (SECs). It is still unknown if this is due to age by itself or to other factors like for example atrophic gastritis with decreased activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). To study the effect of age on SECs and on bioavailability of ethanol, 15 volunteers with a mean age of 71 +/- 1 year (8males and 7 females) and 16 volunteers with a mean age of 37 +/- 2 years (8males and 8 females) showing normal gastric histology received ethanol (0.225 g/kg b. w.) intravenously (iv.) and orally. RESULTS: The difference between the SEC time curves after iv. and oral ethanol administration (so called FPM of ethanol) was significantly increased in elderly subjects (54 +/- 6 vs. 12 +/- 9 %, p < 0.001). The SEC time curves after iv. ethanol application were significantly increased in the elderly (p < 0.001), whereas SECs following oral alcohol administration were significantly lower in elderly as compared to younger individuals (p < 0.02). Peak SECs following iv. application was also significantly elevated with age (52 +/- 4 vs. 31 +/- 1 mg/100 ml, p < 0.001) and occurrence of peak SECs following oral ethanol intake was significantly delayed (47 +/- 4 vs. 28 +/- 4 min, p < 0.001). No gender effect at all was observed. CONCLUSION: FPM of ethanol is inexpectedly increased in elderly with normal gastric morphology compared to young people. The elevation of SECs after iv. ethanol administration in the elderly could be explained by the reduction of the water distribution space with age, whereas the increased FPM of ethanol in elderly subjects with normal gastric morphology is probably due to a deceleration of the speed of gastric emptying leading to an increased contact time of alcohol with gastric alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Our data do not confirm results from other research groups showing increased SECs in the elderly after alcohol consumption. Increased SECs are therefore not due to age by itself, but are probably caused by other factors as for example atrophic gastritis which is frequently found in the elderly people and which decreases FPM of ethanol.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Cerebral angiofibroma: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Intracranial fibromatous tumors are very rare lesions, with few reported cases. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 34-year-old male patient who experienced seizures resulting from a cystic lesion in the left occipital region, which remained unchanged for 11 years. After the seizures increased in number, magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large cyst with a tumor nodule. INTERVENTION: A left occipital craniotomy was performed, and the tumor was removed. Pathological studies, including immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analyses, indicated that this neoplasm was composed of fibrous and angiomatous components, and a diagnosis of cerebral angiofibroma was established. CONCLUSION: Cerebral and meningeal fibromas are rare neoplasms that differ from solitary fibrous tumors and fibrous meningiomas. When a number of prominent blood vessels are present in a cerebral or meningeal fibroma, a diagnosis of angiofibroma can be considered. It is possible that some nodular brain tumors that were previously described as meningioangiomatosis could be reclassified as cerebral or meningeal angiofibromas.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Primary intraparenchymatous spinal cord melanoma.

A case of primary melanoma arising from the spinal cord parenchyma at the Th 10-11 level, in a 50-year old female, is presented. In this patient, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed an intraparenchymatous lesion, with rounded borders, and an associated intramedullary cyst. On the basis of these findings and the long duration of symptoms, an erroneous preoperative diagnosis of intramedullary ependymoma was made.

Diagnostic Errors↗
PubMed1998

Assessment of the safety of supplementation with different amounts of vitamin E in healthy older adults.

We showed previously that supplementation for 30 d with 800 IU (727 mg) vitamin E/d did not adversely affect healthy elderly persons. We have now assessed the effects of 4 mo of supplementation with 60, 200, or 800 IU (55, 182, or 727 mg) all-rac-alpha-tocopherol/d on general health, nutrient status, liver enzyme function, thyroid hormone concentrations, creatinine concentrations, serum autoantibodies, killing of Candida albicans by neutrophils, and bleeding time in 88 healthy subjects aged >65 y participating in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. No side effects were reported by the subjects. Vitamin E supplementation had no effect on body weight, plasma total proteins, albumin, glucose, plasma lipids or the lipoprotein profile, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, serum urea nitrogen, total red blood cells, white blood cells or white blood cell differential counts, platelet number, bleeding time, hemoglobin, hematocrit, thyroid hormones, or urinary or serum creatinine concentrations. Values from all supplemented groups were within normal ranges for older adults and were not significantly different from values in the placebo group. Vitamin E supplementation had no significant effects on plasma concentrations of other antioxidant vitamins and minerals, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, or total homocysteine. There was no significant effect of vitamin E on serum nonspecific immunoglobulin concentrations or anti-DNA and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. The cytotoxic ability of neutrophils against Candida albicans was not compromised. Thus, 4 mo of supplementation with 60-800 IU vitamin E/d had no adverse effects. These results are relevant for determining risk-to-benefit ratios for vitamin E supplementation.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Utility of hepatic iron index in American patients with hereditary hemochromatosis: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A hepatic iron index (hepatic iron concentration divided by age) of more than 1.9 has been proposed as useful to identify patients with homozygous hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC). There are limited data on the diagnostic use of the hepatic iron index in patients with HHC in the United States. This study evaluated the hepatic iron index in the diagnosis of HHC in a multicenter U.S. study. METHODS: Hepatic iron concentration was measured in 509 patients undergoing liver biopsy. The diagnosis of HHC was made using clinical, biochemical, and histopathologic criteria. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients met criteria for HHC; hepatic iron index was > 1.9 in 51 of 55 (93%) patients with HHC but in none of 454 patients with other liver diseases; hepatic iron concentration was > 71 mumol/g dry weight in 54 of 55 patients with HHC but only 1 of the other 454 patients. CONCLUSIONS: A hepatic iron index of > or = 1.9 can identify most U.S. patients with HHC but is < or = 1.9 in 7%. A "threshold" hepatic iron concentration of 71 mumol/g can almost always distinguish patients with HHC from patients with other liver diseases and may be a useful adjunct to the hepatic iron index in the diagnosis of HHC in the diverse U.S. population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Hypochlorhydria from short-term omeprazole treatment does not inhibit intestinal absorption of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or zinc from food in humans.

OBJECTIVE: Low gastric pH is generally believed to be an important factor in intestinal mineral absorption. Thus, hypochlorhydria could be an important risk factor for mineral malabsorption and the development of marginal mineral status. We studied whether the hypochlorhydria associated with treatment with the anti-ulcer medication omeprazole, a potent gastric proton pump inhibition, would affect intestinal calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, or zinc absorption from food. METHODS: Thirteen normal, healthy adults were assigned to either a control group (n = 5) receiving no drug treatment or an omeprazole treatment group (n = 8) to produce increased gastric pH. Omeprazole treatment of normal volunteers resulted in a significant change in postprandial gastric pH (pH 6.4 +/- 0.3 vs. 3.6 +/- 0.5 in control subjects, p < 0.01) and baseline fasting pH (pH 5.8 +/- 0.5 vs. pH 1.8 +/- 0.3 in controls, p < 0.01) after an overnight fast. Net mineral absorption from a standard test meal was measured using a whole gut lavage technique. Mineral absorption was measured twice in each subject, once with 120 mL of 0.1 mol/liter hydrochloric acid and a second time with 120 mL of distilled water alone. RESULTS: We found that despite marked changes in gastric pH due to drug treatment or administration of exogenous HCl, no change in the intestinal absorption of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or zinc from a standard test meal was evident. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that changing the gastric pH alone does not modify the net intestinal absorption of several minerals from food. Therefore, it is unlikely that moderate hypochlorhydria resulting from short-term omeprazole treatment substantially increases the risk for developing calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, or zinc deficiencies due to mineral malabsorption.

Achlorhydria↗