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Biomedical subjects

S Fernández

Publications and source records attributed to S Fernández.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effect of maternal food restriction on the evolution of pregnancy in the rat.

The present work analyzes the role of food and water intake, nitrogen balance, and in vivo D-glucose intestinal absorption in body weight gain during the second half of pregnancy in malnourished mother rats. Our results indicate that nitrogen balance and intestinal absorption of D-glucose were not changed as a result of food restriction, but important negative correlations between water intake and micturition and weight gain and micturition were found in experimental mothers. The retention of water seems to be one of the most important factor influencing body weight gain in malnourished mother rats in the second half of pregnancy.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Spontaneous rupture of the spleen in chronic pancreatitis].

The appearing of splenic complications in the evolution of acute or chronic pancreatitis is a known fact, even though it is not that frequent. A case of splenic rupture happens during an acute bout of chronic pancreatitis. The possible pathogenic mechanisms implied are analysed as well as the forms of presentation and the approximation to diagnosis. The great difficulty in the diagnosis is determined by the scarce specificity of the clinical and biochemical manifestations. Therefore, it is called the attention upon the eventuality of this complication and the therapeutic attitudes which should be adopted.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1991

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli associated with infant diarrhoea in Galicia, north-western Spain.

To assess the role of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in infantile diarrhoea, 482 children with diarrhoea and 103 healthy controls, from three localities of Galicia, north-western Spain, were investigated between 1985 and 1988. Rotavirus (37.3%) and Salmonella spp. (12.8%) were the most common causal agents, followed by ETEC (3.9%), Campylobacter jejuni (2.3%), Shigella spp. (0.9%) and Yersinia enterocolitica (0.5%). ETEC were significantly more frequently isolated from children with diarrhoea who were under 1 month of age (26.5%) than from older diarrhoeic children (2.2%) (p less than 0.001) or from healthy children who were under 1 month of age (0%) (p less than 0.05). Among children who harboured ETEC, five of the nine children under 1 month of age developed diarrhoea in hospital, whereas none of the 10 children over 1 month of age did so. Seventeen ETEC isolates produced heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) only, four produced only heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), and two produced both toxins. Colonisation factor antigens CFA/I and CFA/II were detected in 11 (55.0%) of the 20 ETEC isolates that remained enterotoxigenic after maintenance in the laboratory. Most ETEC isolates belonged to serotypes O153:K-:H45 (nine STa+ CFA/I+ isolates), O27:K-:H7 (three STa+ isolates) or O6:K15:H16 (two LT+ STa+ CFA/II+ isolates). Our results suggest that ETEC constitute an important cause of neonatal diarrhoea in this part of Spain.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1990

[Chemical composition and nutritive value of the protein of Amaranthus quintensis].

An account is given of some considerations concerning the chemical recognition and evaluation by biological methods of the quality of the flour obtained from Amaranthus quitensis seeds, submitted to grinding and sifting. The protein content of the flour (21.70g/100g) can be considered as very important, as well as that of the available lysine (5.20g/16gN). The calcium content was also remarkable (500mg/100g), and the starch ratio reached 45.00g/100g. The amount of nitrates found was 20.00mg/100g, which is an acceptable limit. The research for organic nitro compounds was negative. As for the biologic quality of the protein, the experiments revealed that it has quite an acceptable availability, as demonstrated by the following values: NPU = 42.50 +/- 6.10, D = 68.50 +/- 5.30, VB = 62, NPR = 2.10 +/- 1.80 and RNPR = 42.

Flour↗
PubMed1989

[Abnormal movements of vascular origin].

Three patients with hemichorea and ten with dystonia of vascular origin are reported. Five were secondary to ischemic infarcts, two to lacunar infarcts, three to intraparenchymal hematoma, and in the remaining three the type of lesion could not be determined. The patients with chorea, as opposed to those with dystonia, presented abruptly immediately after the stroke, and had a regressive evolution and good therapeutic response. The type of dyskinesia was not useful to identify the precise localization of the lesion or to determine its nature. In addition, in 5 patients multiple lesions were found and 5 had release of archaic reflexes or cortical atrophy in CT; this shows the importance of the overall functional impairment and focal lesions in the genesis of dyskinesia. There were sensory deficits in 7 patients. In 2 patients lesions were not found in the CT in spite of the presence of previous hemiparesis; this suggests that this technique has limitations to discover focal cerebral lesions in patients with focal or hemicorporal dyskinesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Vestibular suppression].

Evaluation of the function was carried out by using unilateral caloric test in different arousal status. The goal of this investigation is to further investigate the normal parameters of vestibular function. Maximum speed, latency, frequency, medium speed and number of beats of the slow component of nystagmus were calculated, as well as, the morphological pattern of the standard outline. Voluntary suppression of vestibular response was tested. A test request method was proposed as the best way to fix attention of subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Oculomotor disorders in Parinaud's syndrome].

In a patient suffering from Parinaud's syndrome due to a dorsal mesencephalic spontaneous hematoma the electro-oculographic study show the paralysis of the vertical gaze and retraction-convergence nystagmus. The paper emphasizes the importance of the electro-oculometry in those cases showing troubles of the oculomotricity.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed1988

[Biologic value of the protein concentrate of Atripex lampa and its value as a complement to wheat flour].

The Atriplex lampa, chenopodiáceae, is a very abundant bush in the arid and semiarid regions of our Province. This work was undertaken to characterize from the chemical point of view, both the fresh leaves and the protein concentrate (PC) obtained from them. A second purpose was to determine the biological value of the protein, and to evaluate its capacity as a complement to wheat flour (WF). Through this study, the leaf was shown to have a high content of ashes, sodium, potassium and silica, what accounts for its low palatability. The PC obtained has a protein concentration of 59.37 g/100 g and its biological value is limited by the sulfur amino acids, with a chemical score of 85.70. Since the protein is poorly utilized, this results in a relatively low value of its net protein utilization (NPU), a fact which may be attributed to its low true digestibility. The studies on the complementary effects of PC on WF were made at three levels, i.e., 30, 50 and 60%, respectively. The results revealed that the best complementation, measured by the nitrogen utilization, happened to be when 50% of the protein contribution was provided by the A. lampa protein concentrate.

Flour↗
PubMed1988

[Effects of malnutrition in utero and during lactation on various parameters of the small intestine in rats].

Short and long term effects of malnutrition on the small intestine, applied to the rat in uterus and lactation, have been studied. Malnutrition was induced by feeding the pregnant rats on 14 g daily during pregnancy and 21 g during lactation. In the pups (0, 15, 30, 90 and 150 days old), body weight and wet and dry weight and length of small intestine were measured. At 2.5-3 months of age, food transformation efficiency was studied, at 3 and 5 months of age in vivo intestinal absorption of D-glucose (11 mM) was measured. The results indicate a significant decrease in intestinal morphometric parameters in malnourished animals from birth to the age of 5 months. At the age of 3 months both food transformation efficiency and in vivo absorption of glucose were significantly higher in early undernourished animals, whereas at 5 months, glucose absorption was significantly higher in control. It can thus be concluded that early malnutrition altered the small intestine development and functionality and that total recovery did not occur after 4 months on a normal diet.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1987

Rescue of a wild-type MDCK cell by a ouabain-resistant mutant.

When wild-type MDCK cells (W-MDCK) were cocultured in mixed monolayers with a ouabain-resistant mutant (R-MDCK), the wild-type cells were protected from the effect of ouabain up to concentrations as high as 100 microM. Rescue depended on the dose of ouabain and on the proportion of each cell type in the coculture. The survival of R-MDCK cells at 1 microM ouabain was not endangered by varying from 1:9 to 9:1 the proportion of W-MDCK cells to be rescued. Ouabain binding revealed two kinds of binding sites in R-MDCK cells, one with high and the other with low affinity. Only the high affinity site was present in W-MDCK cells. Electron probe analysis of individual cells revealed that rescued cells kept a high K and a low Na intracellular contents, similar to control cells. Histograms of intracellular K/Na in cocultured cells treated with ouabain were unimodal. Using microinjection of Lucifer yellow or electrophysiological techniques we estimated that at most 13% of the R-MDCK and W-MDCK cells may be connected at a given time through cell-to-cell junctions. Therefore permanent cell-to-cell communication did not seem to play a central role in the rescue. W-MDCK cells cocultured with R-MDCK cells and subsequently separated, were not rescued. Thus rescue did not seem to depend on the transfer from R-MDCK to W-MDCK cells of either ouabain-resistant Na-K pumps or of information to synthesize them. It is speculated that intercellular communications were sporadic events, so that all cells may become intermittently connected and rescued.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Malnutrition in rats during pregnancy and lactation period: a study on body, spleen and thymus weights and hematologic parameters in dams and their offspring.

Physiological changes in the rat dams and their offspring as sequelae of malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation and their capacity for recuperation from early malnutrition is studied. The dams were killed during the lactation period (15th and 30th days of postpartum) and the absolute and relative weights of the thymus and spleen were recorded. The following hematologic parameters were examined: red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean cell volume, mean cell homoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, polimorphonuclear neutrophil, basophils. The offspring were sacrificed at 15, 30 and 90 days of age. Their body weight and the same hematic parameters and organ weights as their mothers were determined. Results indicate a highly significant decrease in body weight and organ weights in experimental dams and an important alteration in their hematic parameters, which may be an important determinant of retardation of growth in pups, whose body and organ weights were significantly smaller than those of the controls. In addition, the hematologic parameters of the malnourished offspring were modified in relation to those of the controls at all times (15, 30 and 90 days old) studied.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

[Effects of treatment with polyvinylpyrrolidone on nutritional quality of sorghum].

The purpose of this paper was to show that a high polyphenolic compound content in the sorghum grain (Sorghum saccharatum, var sugar drip) has an unfavorable influence on the nitrogen absorption. In order to arrive at this conclusion, the tannin content in sorghum flour was reduced by means of a treatment with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a complexing agent. Several biological experiments were performed with non-treated flour (S) and with PVP-treated flour (S + PVP). Treatment improved true digestibility (D), having obtained the following values: for S = 31 +/- 2.67, and for S + PVP = 55.8 +/- 3.48 (significance P less than 0.001). The tannin evaluation yielded the following results: S = 1.90 g/100 g, and S + PVP = 0.85 g/100 g reported as tannic acid. The digestibility increase induced a better nitrogenous utilization, the net protein utilization (NPU) values being from 19 +/- 1.58 to 37 +/- 3.36 for S, and S + PVP, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effect of maternal food restriction on circulating insulin and glucagon levels and on liver insulin and glucagon binding sites of fetal and suckling rats.

Food was restricted in pregnant and nursing rats in order to evaluate the effect of malnutrition on insulin and glucagon metabolism in fetal and suckling rats. Food restriction of the mothers induced a loss of body and liver weights in their offspring, which was more pronounced in suckling than in fetal rats. A significant decrease of circulating insulin and glucagon levels in fetal and suckling rats from food restricted mothers (FRM) was also observed. In liver membranes insulin binding was higher in control, fetal and suckling rats than in adult animals, but maternal food restriction decreased insulin binding to liver membranes of suckling rats, and no changes between control and fetuses from FRM were observed. By contrast, glucagon binding was higher in adult than in younger control animals; however maternal food restriction had no effect on glucagon binding to liver membranes of fetal rats, although they produced an increase in 10 day-old suckling rats. The modifications in insulin and glucagon binding reflect changes in the number of receptors, but not in the affinity constants. The time courses of insulin and glucagon association to liver membranes were unaffected by the development or by the nutritional status of the animals. Degradation of insulin and glucagon by liver membranes was significantly lower in young rats and in rats from FRM, but this does not seem to be responsible for the differences observed in binding. No significant differences in the degradation of insulin and glucagon receptors between different groups of liver membranes were found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1985

[Biological quality of the protein isolated from the leaves of Atriplex numularia].

Plant leaf proteins have acquired great relevance during the last two decades because of their well-balanced amino acid composition. A study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the biological quality of the leaf protein of Atriplex numularia. The protein content of the fresh leaves from this plant was found to be 4.70 g/100, with a dry matter content of 18.70 g/100 g. A protein concentrate (PC) from the same material was then obtained by macerating the leaf in a 2% sodium sulfite solution at a pH of 10 and subjecting it to filtration and pressing. The product thus obtained had a dark greenish color and contained 55.42 g/100 g of protein. The amino acid analysis revealed that its protein has a balance similar to that of animal origin proteins, with a lysine and methionine content of 8.5 g/16 g N and 3.0 g/16 g N, respectively. Biological assays were then carried out to evaluate nitrogen utilization, with the following resulting values: net protein utilization (NPU) = 48.3 +/- 2.7; digestibility (D) = 58.0 +/- 1.4, and biological value (BV) = 83. As inferred from the NPU value, nitrogen utilization was low. Therefore, to improve digestibility values, the action of papain on the PC was assayed. The material thus treated was again submitted to biological trials, obtaining, this time a D of 75.4 +/- 1.05, and thus, an improved new NPU value of 54.8 +/- 1.1 (p less than 0.01).

Amino Acids, Essential↗
PubMed1985

[Malnutrition in utero and lactation: relation between the weight gained by the mothers and the development of their offspring].

Physiological weight changes in rat dams and their offspring as sequelae of malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation have been studied. Daily monitoring of the body weight as well as the consumption of food (malnutrition dams 14 g during pregnancy and 20 g during lactation) and drink in control and malnutrition dams was conducted. The number of pregnant dams that completed their pregnant period successfully was registered as well as the number and weight of the pups at birth and their evolution over a period of a month. The percentage of mortality of the pups during that period has been studied. The present results indicate a highly significant decrease in body weight in experimental dams, which determines a retardation in the physiological development of the pups, and yields a higher percentage of mortality in the experimental animals than in controls. It can thus be concluded that malnutrition in utero and during lactation affects the ratio between weight gain for dams and the physical development of their pups.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Cell membrane and cell junctions in differentiation of preimplanted mouse embryos.

Cell membrane and cell junctions in differentiation of preimplanted mouse embryos, (membrana celular y uniones celulares en la diferenciación del embrión de ratón antes de la implantación). Arch. Biol. Med. Exper. 10: 130-134, 1976. The development of cell junctions that seal the peripheral blastomeres could be a decisive step in the differentiation of morulae into blastocysts. The appearance of these junctions is studied by electron microscopy of late morulae and initial blastocysts. Zonulae occludentes as well as impermeability to lanthanum emulsion precedes the appearance of the blastocel and hence might be considered as one of its necessary causes.

Animals↗