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R Ugarte

Publications and source records attributed to R Ugarte.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Quantitative detection of promoter hypermethylation as a biomarker of acute kidney injury during transplantation.

Aberrant promoter hypermethylation, also known as epigenetics, is thought to be a promising biomarker approach to diagnose malignancies. Kidney repair after injury is a recapitulation of normal morphogenesis, with similarities to malignant transformation. We hypothesized that changes in urine epigenetics could be a biomarker approach during early kidney transplant injury and repair. We examined urine DNA for aberrant methylation of two gene promoters (DAPK and CALCA) by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction from 13 deceased and 10 living donor kidney transplant recipients on postoperative day 2 and 65 healthy controls. Results were compared with clinical outcomes and to results of the kidney biopsy. Transplant recipients were significantly more likely to have aberrant hypermethylation of the CALCA gene promoter in urine than healthy controls (100% vs 31%; P < .0001). There was increased CALCA hypermethylation in the urine of deceased versus living donor transplants (21.60 +/- 12.5 vs 12.19 +/- 4.7; P = .04). Furthermore, there was a trend toward increased aberrant hypermethylation of urine CALCA in patients with biopsy-proven acute tubular necrosis versus acute rejection and slow or prompt graft function (mean: 20.40 +/- 6.9, 13.87 +/- 6.49, 17.17 +/- 13.4; P = .67). However, there was no difference of CALCA hypermethylation in urine of patients with delayed graft function versus those with slow or prompt graft function (16.9 +/- 6.2 vs 18.5 +/- 13.7, respectively; P = .5). There was no aberrant hypermethylation of DAPK in the urine of transplant patients. Urine epigenetics is a promising biomarker approach for acute ischemic injury in transplantation that merits future study.

Adult↗

Strategy for the control of foot-and-mouth disease in Uruguay.

FMD was diagnosed in Uruguay and in most of the South American countries in 1870. In 1961 the first law was issued to enforce the control of the disease. In 1990 a new regulation was approved which determined the process to eradicate FMD. The last clinical case was on June 18th 1990, and in 1996 the OIE declared Uruguay a free country without vaccination. In 2001 FMD was re-introduced, with an outbreak of 2057 animals which were controlled throughout four months of strong activity which ended with two vaccinations of all livestock. On May 22nd 2003, the OIE recognized Uruguay as a country 'free with vaccination'.

Animals↗

Riboflavin-sensitized photoprocesses of tryptophan.

The photodegradation of tryptophan in oxygen saturated aqueous solution sensitized by riboflavin is accompanied by the generation of the following reactive oxygen species: 1O2, OH., H2O2 and O2.-. When parallel photodegradation experiments are run with 14C-riboflavin in one case and 14C-tryptophan in the other and the irradiation products are separated by Sephadex G-15 and C18-HPLC, the generation of the following species is detected: aggregate forms of riboflavin, indolic products associated to flavins, indolic products of molecular weight higher than tryptophan, formylkynurenine, and other tryptophan photodecomposition products. The significance of the riboflavin anion radical and tryptophan cation radical as intermediates in the photoproduct formation is discussed.

Catalase↗

Riboflavin-photosensitized anaerobic modification of rat lens proteins. A correlation with age-related changes.

When rat lens homogenate or its soluble protein fractions are irradiated in the presence of riboflavin, a photo-adduct is obtained between this vitamin and the lens proteins. Irradiation of these proteins in the presence of riboflavin also leads to a modification in the chromatographic elution pattern with an increase in the high-molecular-weight fraction. In an aging study with rats, it was shown that the proportion of the high-molecular-weight protein fraction significantly increased with age, whereas the proportion of the low-molecular-weight protein fraction concomitantly decreased. It is postulated that aging produces an increase in the accessibility of the tryptophan residues of the lens proteins, as established by iodide fluorescence quenching experiments.

Aging↗

Accuracy of ultrasound in diagnosis of rupture after blunt testicular trauma.

In 6 patients who underwent ultrasound scanning and operation after blunt testicular trauma, the scan suggested the correct diagnosis in only 2 patients. There was one false-positive and three false-negative diagnoses of rupture. Absence of firm diagnostic criteria for rupture and high error rates with various criteria now in use make reliance on ultrasound in the diagnosis of testicular rupture inappropriate at this time.

Adult↗

Glycolytic component of rat spermatid energy and acid-base metabolism.

The impact of glycolysis on rat spermatid energy metabolism is made apparent by the simultaneous occurrence of the following three events upon glucose addition to the extracellular medium of a rat spermatid cell suspension: decrease in ATP content, exit of acid equivalents, and increased lactate production and efflux. In this work, we have studied the interrelations between these three phenomena. By measuring ATP content, net acid transport, lactate exit, oxygen consumption, intracellular pH, CO2 production, and glycolytic intermediates in the presence of glucose and glucose analogues, we conclude that 1) lactate production, decrease in ATP content, and acid equivalent exit are dependent on the metabolism of glucose up to different stages in glycolysis. 2) The decrease in ATP content is not directly related to the exit of acid equivalents from rat spermatids. 3) Glucose metabolism is a net ATP-consuming process at high intracellular ATP content but is a net ATP-producing process at low intracellular ATP concentration in rat spermatids. 4) Acid equivalent production arises from the metabolism of glucose beyond glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. 5) Lactic acid diffusion and/or lactate transport and CO2 production and exit could account for the glucose-dependent acid equivalent efflux in rat spermatids.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗