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Bovines infected by bovine leukemia virus (BLV) are characterized by presenting low proviral load (LPL) or high proviral load (HPL). It is reported that animals with HPL in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) present a decrease in apoptosis, an increase in viability and the proliferation rate, while animals that maintain an LPL have an intrinsic ability to control the infection, presenting an increased apoptosis rate of their PBMCs. However, there is little information on the effect of BLV on these mechanisms when the virus infects somatic milk cells (SC). This study investigates the mechanisms underlying apoptosis in milk and blood from BLV-infected animals with HPL and LPL. Relative levels of mRNA of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), TNF receptor 1 (TNF-RI), TNF receptor 2 (TNF-RII), anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2), and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-like protein 4 (Bax) were measured in SC and PBMCs using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay. A significant decrease in the expression of TNF-α in SC from HPL animals vs non-infected bovines was observed, but the infection in SC with BLV did not show a modulation on the expression of TNF receptors. A significant increase in TNF-RI expression in PBMCs from HPL bovines compared to LPL bovines was observed. No significant differences in PBMCs between HPL and LPL compared to non-infected animals concerning TNF-α, TNF-RI, and TNF-RII expression were found. There was a significant increase of both Bcl-2 and Bax in SC from LPL compared to non-infected bovines, but the Bcl-2/Bax ratio showed an anti-apoptotic profile in LPL and HPL bovines compared to non-infected ones. Reduced mRNA expression levels of Bax were determined in the PBMCs from HPL compared to LPL subjects. In contrast, BLV-infected bovines did not differ significantly in the mRNA expression of Bax compared to non-infected bovines. Our data suggest that the increased mRNA expression of Bax corresponds to the late lactation state of bovine evaluated and the exacerbated increase of mRNA expression of Bcl-2 may be one of the mechanisms for the negative apoptosis regulation in the mammary gland induced by BLV infection. These results provide new insights into the mechanism of mammary cell death in HPL and LPL BLV-infected bovine mammary gland cells during lactation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest concerning the research, authorship, publication of this article, and/or financial and personal relationships that could inappropriately influence this work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

Conventional planar frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are characterized in the far-field region and they are sensitive to the incidence angle of impinging waves. In this paper, a spherical dome FSS is presented, aiming to provide improved angular stable bandpass filtering performance as compared to its planar counterpart when the FSS is placed in the near-field region of an antenna source. A comparison between the conformal FSS and a finite planar FSS is presented through simulations at the frequency range between 26 to 40 GHz in order to demonstrate the advantages of utilizing the conformal FSS in the near-field. The conformal FSS is 3D printed and copper electroplated, which leads to a low-cost and lightweight bandpass filter array. Placing it in the near-field region of a primary antenna can be used as radomes to realize compact high-performance mm-wave systems. The comparison between simulated and measured conformal FSS results is in good agreement. The challenges that arise when designing, manufacturing, and measuring this type of structure are reported and guidelines to overcome these are presented.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of motor behaviour in premature infants during the first months of postnatal life, according to the available evidence., Materials and Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out; this method forms part of secondary studies under investigation and describes a phenomenon in detail based on primary sources of information., Results: The literature search in the databases consulted yielded 7,228 articles; of these, 15 more were identified through "snowball" search strategies. At the start of the screening process, 63 eligible records were chosen based on their title and summary, and 14 were excluded because they were duplicates. A total of 49 articles were selected for a full text revision and, of these, 37 were excluded because they did not meet all the inclusion criteria. Finally, 12 articles were selected to prepare the qualitative synthesis of the present research work., Conclusions: In comparison with neonates born at term, premature infants demonstrate a particular motor repertoire, due to the immaturity of their systems; their motor behaviour follows a line of development mainly characterised by deficits in muscle tone, postural control, muscle balance, and antigravity muscle activation., (Copyright © 2020 Sociedad Española de Rehabilitación y Medicina Física. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Forest fires-affected landscapes enhance sudden runoff discharges, high sediment loads and extreme soil erosion rates. Different soil stabilisation treatments, such as mulching, can be applied to avoid runoff and soil erosion after wildfires. To characterise the post-fire soil erosion rates and runoff generation, we selected a Mediterranean forest affected by a wildfire in Lietor (Spain) to determine the sediment yield (dry sediment (DS), total suspended sediment (TSS), total dissolved sediment (TDS)) and runoff discharge in twelve 200 m 2 (10 × 20 m) plots. Immediately after the wildfire, six plots were covered by straw and six other plots were set up as controls. Three months after the wildfire, logging activities were performed and the experimental designs were as follows: mulching + logging (three replicates), non-mulching + logging (three replicates), non-mulching + non-logging (three replicates) and mulching + non-logging (three replicates). During the period after wildfire and before salvage logging, the straw mulch controlled the soil erosion rates (DS, TSS and TDS) versus the non-mulched plots, but straw had no real impact on runoff discharge. For the period after salvage logging, once again runoff did not differ when comparing all the treatments. DS was higher in the non-mulched and non-logging plots, whereas the highest TSS was found in the non-mulched plots (in logged or non-logged plots). TDS was higher in the mulched and non-logged plots. We conclude that straw mulch is efficient management in recent fire-affected mountainous terrains to control soil loss immediately after wildfire. Moreover, logging operations done 3 months after wildfire did not necessary generate higher DS, TSS, TDS rates, mainly because of the type of machinery used for forest operations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Primary hyperparathyroidism is one of the most frequent endocrine disorders. Its diagnosis is biochemical. Imaging techniques are not useful for the diagnosis of this pathology; they are just tools for pre-surgical localization. In this continuing education, we will analyze the different imaging modalities used in this indication, focusing on Nuclear Medicine. The most commonly used imaging technique in this context is the parathyroid scintigraphy, nowadays double phase protocol with 99m Tc-MIBI and the double tracer with 99m Tc-MIBI/ 99m Tc-pertechnetate, associated in the first case to SPECT or SPECT/CT, in an early or late phase. The PET/CT with different tracers is showing good results, especially applied to cases of failure in the pre-surgical scintigraphic localization. We expose the results of the morphological imaging techniques as well as the usefulness of combining techniques., (Copyright © 2019 Sociedad Española de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the psychometric properties of the Parents' Perception of Uncertainty in Illness Scale, parents/children, adapted to Spanish., Method: A descriptive methodological study involving the translation into Spanish of the Parents' Perception of Uncertainty in Illness Scale, parents/children, and analysis of their face validity, content validity, construct validity and internal consistency., Results: The original version of the scale in English was translated into Spanish, and approved by its author. Six face validity items with comprehension difficulty were reported; which were reviewed and adapted, keeping its structure. The global content validity index with expert appraisal was 0.94. In the exploratory analysis of factors, 3 dimensions were identified: ambiguity and lack of information, unpredictability and lack of clarity, with a KMO=0.846, which accumulated 91.5% of the explained variance. The internal consistency of the scale yielded a Cronbach alpha of 0.86 demonstrating a good level of correlation between items., Conclusion: The Spanish version of "Parent's Perception of Uncertainty in Illness Scale" is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to determine the level of uncertainty of parents facing the illness of their children., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Enfermería Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Transitional metals have a large variety of coordination numbers and geometries, accessible redox states in physiological conditions and a wide range of thermodynamic and reactivity properties which can be successfully tuned by selection of suitable ligands. These characteristics can be used to develop new drugs with numerous advantages over the organic based drugs. Historically, research in this field has focus on platinum and DNA targeting; however, anticancer drug research may be expanded to include alternative metal compounds with different mode of action resulting in markedly different cytotoxic response profiles. Cooper complexes with selected ligands are being extensively studied as agents for the treatment of cancer. Current research on copper compounds as antitumoral compounds is being reviewed in this chapter particularly focused on the family of copper Casiopeinas.

A novel topical ophthalmic formulation of the preferential COX-2 inhibitor meloxicam has recently been developed. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this novel 0.03% meloxicam solution with regard to a reference 0.1% diclofenac formulation in a prospective, parallel, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study. Two groups of patients submitted to phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation were formed. Patients in one group were treated with meloxicam and those in the other group with diclofenac. Dosing was 1 drop t.i.d. for 30 days, beginning the first day after surgery, for both treatments. Inflammation was assessed by the presence of cells in the anterior chamber, anterior chamber flare, ciliary flush, photophobia and pain. Both treatments significantly reduced these indicators. Topical meloxicam and diclofenac produced a similar degree of burning sensation and conjunctival hyperemia. There was no significant difference between treatments in any of the measured parameters. It is concluded that the novel meloxicam solution is effective and safe. Meloxicam, however, did not offer any significant benefit over the diclofenac formulation in patients submitted to cataract surgery.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most frequent form of adult leukemia in Western countries, is characterized by a highly variable clinical course. Expression profiling of a series of 160 CLL patients allowed interrogating the genes presumably playing a role in pathogenesis, relating the expression of functionally relevant signatures with the time to treatment. First, we identified genes relevant to the biology and prognosis of CLL to build a CLL disease-specific oligonucleotide microarray. Second, we hybridized a training series on the CLL-specific chip, generating a biology-based predictive model. Finally, this model was validated in a new CLL series. Clinical variability in CLL is related with the expression of two gene clusters, associated with B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, including nuclear factor-kappaB1 (NF-kappaB1). The expression of these clusters identifies three risk-score groups with treatment-free survival probabilities at 5 years of 83, 50 and 17%. This molecular predictor can be applied to early clinical stages of CLL. This signature is related to immunoglobulin variable region somatic hypermutation and surrogate markers. There is a molecular heterogeneity in CLL, dependent on the expression of genes defining BCR and MAPK/NF-kappaB clusters, which can be used to predict time to treatment in early clinical stages.

We have analyzed kinetic roughening in Fe-Cr superlattices by energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy. The direct access to individual interfaces provides both static and dynamic roughness exponents. We find an anomalous non-self-affine scaling of the interface roughness with a time dependent local roughness at short length scales. While the deposition conditions affect strongly the long-range dynamics, the anomalous short-range exponent remains unchanged. The different short- and long-range dynamics outline the importance of long-range interactions in kinetic roughening.

With the purpose of determining how certain risk factors for type 2 diabetes such as family history of diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia, affect the glucose-insulin response to a glucose challenge, 135 individuals (77 women and 58) men were studied. Their ages ranged from 20-68 years, their basal glycemic values were less than 110 mg/dL but they were considered at risk for diabetes due to the presence of one or more of those factors. We found that the presence of those risk factors did not affect the glycemic response in any case. However, the basal insulin levels as well as the post-challenge values were increased significantly (p < 0.0001) by the presence of obesity in men as well as in women. Dyslipidemia increased the basal and post challenge glucose insulin values only in men (p < 0.002). The coexistence of obesity and family history of diabetes provoked a decrease in the basal insulin levels as well as in the insulin response to glucose. We conclude that, without alteration of the glycemic response, the presence of risk factors as obesity, dyslipidemia or family history of diabetes leads to basal hyperinsulinemia, as well as glucose stimulated hyperinsulinemia, however the coexistence of obesity and family history of diabetes, is responsible for a deficit in the insulin secretion by the pancreas.

Proliferating cells remain transiently blocked at different cycle compartments until specific stressors are removed or until the cells become adapted to their presence. This paper investigates the efficiency of cycle blocks in three sugarcane hybrids with the full noble cane (Saccharum officinarum) genome (2n=8x=80) but differing in the number of introgressed S. spontaneum (2n=8x=64) chromosomes. The My5514, B42231 and C236-51 cultivars possess 20, 30 and 40 additional S. spontaneum chromosomes, respectively. Flow cytometry showed that over 90% of cells were accumulated with a 2C DNA content in their dormant primordia. The presence of S. spontaneum chromosomes decreased the low stringency of the 4C block. The greater the number of these chromosomes, the lower was the number of quiescent cells with a 4C DNA content (P<0.05). Shortly after stimulation of the primordia (85% relative humidity and 30 degrees C), i.e. in the 2 mm long roots, a negative correlation was found between the number of introgressed S. spontaneum chromosomes and the frequency of cells undergoing replication and mitosis. On the other hand, when roots were already proliferating under steady-state conditions (15 mm long roots) the more S. spontaneum chromosomes the cells possessed, the longer the relative time it took for all chromosomes to replicate and segregate, and the longer the relative time they spent in G(2), with the 4C DNA content. The presence of S. spontaneum chromosomes seems to be recognized by these proliferating cells as a stressor which preferentially activates checkpoint pathways operating at the second half of the cycle, but not at its onset.

We synthesized a novel anticancer agents based on mixed chelate copper (II) complexes, named Casiopeínas((R)) has of general formula [Cu(N-N)(N-O)H(2)O]NO(3) (where, N-N = diimines as 1,10- phenanthroline, 2,2-bipyridine, or substituted and N-O=aminoeidate or [Cu(N-N)(O-O)H(2)O]NO(3) (where NN= diimines as 10-phenanthroline, 2,2-bipyridine or substituted Casiopeínas I, II, IV, V, VI, VII VIII and O-O=acetylacetonate, salicylaldehidate Casiopínas III). We evaluated the in vitro antitumor activity using a human cancer cell panel and some nurine cancer cells. Eleven Casiopeinas are evaluated in order to acquire some structure-activity correlations and some monodentated Casiopeinäs analogues; cisplatinum was used as control drug. The 50% growth inhibition observed is, in all cases reach with concentrations of Casiopeina's 10 or 100 times lower than cisplatinum. In a previous work we reported the induction of apoptosis by Casiopeina II. The results indicate that Casiopeinass are a promising new anticancer drug candidates to be developed further toward clinical trials.

Hyperinsulinemia and impaired insulin action are familial and predictive of Type 2 diabetes onset. Since high levels of insulin are characteristic of our general (venezuelan)hispanic population, the purpose of this investigation was to identify early metabolic defects in a group of healthy first degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients. We studied 46 (29 women and 17 men; ages ranging 18-66 y) first degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients comparing them with 22 (12 women and 10 men; ages ranging 22-60 y) subjects who had no family history of diabetes. All subjects underwent resting blood pressure and anthropometric measurements; a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test with determination of glucose and insulin and a fasting lipid profile. The relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients had higher tricipital (TC) and subscapular (SC) skinfolds, and elevated DBP in relation to the control group. The skinfolds elevation was more evident in women, while in men the elevation in DBP predominates. None of the relatives had glucose intolerance, however, the glucose-stimulated insulin response was elevated at all points in men as well as in women. No difference was observed in the HOMA values for IR and beta cell function, or in the delta I30/delta G30 ratio. The lipid profile showed a marked elevation in TG levels in men as well as in women, with low HDL-C values in men. No other lipid abnormalities were observed. Correlation analysis revealed strong association between BMI and WHR with skinfolds and several parameters of the carbohydrate metabolism in women, but not in men. IR in women was possitively associated with skinfolds, SBP and lipid parameters and beta cell function with VLDL-C. Adult relatives of Type 2 diabetic venezuelan patients from hispanic origin had, early in their lives, several parameters of the metabolic syndrome as hyperinsulinemia, obesity, dyslipidemia and high blood pressure. These alterations were more prominent in women, group in which the association among BMI, WHR and IR were statistically significant respect to SBP, DBP, basal insulin, insulin/glucose ratio, TG and HDL-C.

Background: Osteoporosis may be associated with parenchymal hepatopathy and chronic alcoholism. Biochemical studies which are linked with bone metabolism and the bone densitometry may help to understand its physiopathology, before the symptoms appear and its consequences become inevitable., Patients and Methods: The study of bone metabolism and densitometry has been carried out in a population of 86 males, distributed in 4 groups: group I, control (17 men), group II, patients with chronic hepatopathy without alcoholism (25 patients), group III, chronic alcoholic without hepatopathy (21 patients), and group IV, patients with chronic alcoholic hepatopathy (23 patients). The results of densitometry and biochemical parameters in relation with bone metabolism are cross checked among these 4 groups., Results: We found out that patients with chronic alcoholic hepatopathy have bone mineral density (BMD), at femoral level, significatively lower than that of the other 3 groups (p < 0.05). In chronic hepatopathy, regardless of its etiology, significant alterations in biochemical parameters of bone metabolism found, consisting basically in shrinked plasmatic level of 25-hydroxivitamin-D (25-OH-D) (p < 0.05). The plasmatic levels of calcitriol, magnesium and intact parathyroid hormone (PTHi) were significantly lower in chronic alcoholic hepatopathy than in the others 3 groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively)., Conclusions: Chronic hepatopathy is associated with deficiency in vitamin D. Alcoholism added to chronic hepatopathy has a negative influence on the plasmatic levels of calcitriol, magnesium and PTHi as well as in the femur BMD. Alcoholism not associated with chronic hepatopathy is not sufficient to cause significant alterations in the studied parameters.

Introduction: In this investigations, was carried out a neurocysticercosis (NC) prevalence study during seven months in the Instituto Neurológico de Antioquia with the purpose of known neurocysticercosis frequency as cause of epilepsy in patients older than ten years that we attended in our institute., Material and Methods: Computerized tomographies (CT) were made to 503 patients, with epilepsy, 24.7% of them were CT positive for NC. Cysticercosis enzyme linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) and enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) test were made to 178 patients, 19.6% were EITB positive for NC and 5% ELISA positive for NC. Results. From this result it is possible to infer that about 8% of the 503 patients with epilepsy had cysticercosis, according to EITB that is the golden assay for NC. The CT and ELISA test had 94.3% and 27.7% sensitivity, respectively, according to EITB. The specificity of the CT for NC was 49.2% and specificity for ELISA test was 100% as compared to EITB. The multivariate analysis with logistic regression allowed to establish association of positive EITB with factors such as male sex, eating pork, headaches and multiple lesions in CT., Conclusions: Prevention and education actions are necessary for the interruption of the neurocysticercosis transmission chain in order to diminish the high prevalence of epilepsy in the country and its complication and consequences.

This study reports a 7-y-old boy with severe hypertriglyceridaemia who was successfully treated for 6 y with a low glycaemic index-high carbohydrate modified-lipid diet that produced beneficial changes in triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. It is suggested that a selection of a complex digestible carbohydrate and an adequate ratio between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat may, in the long term, favourably improve the lipid profile.

Phosphofructokinase (PFK) from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was characterized by immunological titration with subunit specific antibodies and column chromatography on QAE-Sephadex in three different groups: control, type II diabetic, and obese individuals. It was found that PMN phosphofructokinase in the three groups consists mainly of a mixture of L4 and M4 homotetramers with possibly some hybrid forms. The predominant subunit was the L-type. A 24% decrease in the specific activity of the L-type isozyme was observed and an intermediate form (I-isozyme) having 23% of the total activity in diabetic individuals appeared. In obese individuals a 30% decrease was observed in the activity of M-type isozyme and 9% of the total activity corresponded to the intermediate form. Kinetic studies showed different regulatory properties among the isozymes from the three groups. The lower PFK activity found in diabetic and obese individuals can be associated with the decreased activity in the L-type isozyme (for diabetic individuals) and in the M-type isozyme (for obese individuals); the lower activity can also be associated with the four times lower affinity for F-6-P showed by the M-type isozyme, the decreased sensitivity to ATP inhibition (for both isozymes), and the appearance of an intermediate form with a different kinetic behaviour.

We was carried out a survey between all primary care physicians (PCP) of La Rioja on their social and demographic data, anamnesis on their factors of cardiovascular risk and behavior in the strategies of hypercholesterolemia detection. The 65% of the PCP ask to their patient on knowledge of their cholesterol; this proportion increases between the physicians that know the recommendations of the Spanish Atherosclerosis Society (SAS) (p < 0.002). The 100% of the PCP determine some lipid parameter when they specify a blood sample for another reason or in presence of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, dyslipidemias or diabetes mellitus. In presence af smoking habit or oral contraceptive use, PCP that know the SAS or that they work in the rural environment, respectively, they solicit lipid parameters with a greater frequency (p < 0.04 and p < 0.03). Only a 23% of the PCP carry out electrocardiogram in case of a hyperlipidemia, percentage that is incremented between those that works in primary health centers ar in the urban medium (p < 0.03 and p < 0.03). A quarter af the PCP don't refer to the specialized attention to their patients with uncontrolled dyslipidemia and almost the 10% they would not send them under no circumstance. Although in general seem us adequate the behavior in opportunist detection of the PCP, this improves up on knowing the normative of national consensus.

Phosphofructokinase (PFK) from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was characterized by immunological titration with subunit specific antibodies, column chromatography on QAE-Sephadex and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two different isozymes, M-type and L-type, were found. The M(r) values of the M and L subunits were 79,500 +/- 1,914 and 74,250 +/- 1,258, respectively. The two isozymes presented different kinetic and regulatory properties. The results suggest that PFK from human normal PMN is a mixture of M-type and L-type homotetramers, mainly, with possible minor heterotetrameric forms.

We have traced in onion root cells the mitotic course of rRNA, of the RNA synthesized in the G2 period of the preceding interphase, and of the nucleolar proteins fibrillarin and nucleolin. The rRNA was detected by ultrastructural in situ hybridization with a rDNA probe capable of hybridizing mature rRNAs and also the intermediate forms of pre-rRNA processing. The RNA synthesized in the preceding G2 (which, according to classical data, is mostly rRNA) was revealed by autoradiography on synchronous cells labeled in G2 by tritiated uridine. Fibrillarin was detected by immunofluorescence in both mammalian and onion cells; the results in the latter cells were compared with those obtained after AgNOR staining. Electron microscopical immunocytochemistry was used to detect fibrillarin and nucleolin in onion cells. In all cases, following nucleolar dispersion in prophase, the signal was detected in the chromosome periphery during metaphase and anaphase, in irregular fibrillar masses located between chromosomes in ana-telophase, in prenucleolar bodies during telophase, and in the newly formed nucleoli, after nucleologenesis. Moreover, as expected, ribosomes appeared labeled after in situ hybridization, but a dispersed cytoplasmic labeling was observed in all experiments, mainly during metaphase and anaphase. These results demonstrate that nucleolar components involved in pre-rRNA processing, including rRNA itself, probably in an incompletely processed form, are transferred from the parental to the daughter cell nucleoli by means of transient structures, such as the perichromosomal sheath and prenucleolar bodies. Since these macromolecular components are assembled in the interphase nucleolus, forming the RNP processing complex, their colocalization during mitosis in the same transient structures strongly suggests that at least a subset of these complexes does not disaggregate during cell division, but remains assembled and becomes incorporated to the new nucleolus. Therefore, ribosome biogenesis restarts not only after mitosis at the level of transcription, but also at the intermediate levels of pre-rRNA processing.

To determine the most frequent dyslipidemias among first-degree relatives of NIDDM patients, and its association with their glucose-tolerance status and hyperinsulinemia, we have started to examine members of NIDDM pedigrees, according to American Diabetes Association guidelines for nuclear family studies. In a large family with 2 NIDDM siblings in the 2nd generation, and 4 siblings with NIDDM in the 3rd generation, we have evaluated 14 first degree relatives and also 15 sex and aged matched healthy control subjects without family history of diabetes. The NIDDM relative group presented BMI = 31.8 +/- 3.9 kg/m2, SBP = 128 +/- 18.2 mmHg, DBP = 84 +/- 12.7 mmHg. Both relatives and controls were subjected to a 2h 75g OGTT for glucose and insulin determinations. Although none of NIDDM relatives has IGT, both Glycemic Area (GA) and Insulin Area (IA) were greater (p < 0.01) in the NIDDM relative group. The Insulin/Glucose ratio was also higher (p < 0.01) at 0 and 120 min of OGTT, this might be indirect evidence of Insulin- Resistance. Fasting serum lipids in the NIDDM relatives were TG = 148 +/- 24mg/dl, T-Chol = 244 +/- 10.7mg/dl, HDL-C = 34.2 +/- 2.5mg/dl; lipids in the control group were TG = 84.8 +/- 10.1mg/dl, T-Chol = 167 +/- 10.2mg/dl, HDL-C = 44.4 +/- 2.6mg/dl. Electrophoretic pattern showed type IIa (30.7%) and IIb (61.5%) hyperlipidemias in the NIDDM relatives. In this group, there was a positive and significant association between basal insulin and DBP (r = 0.67; p < 0.01), and between DBP and both TG (r = 0.74; p < 0.01)) and VLDL-C (r = 0.58; p < 0.05). It was also obtained a negative association between basal insulin and HDL-C (r = -0.89; p < 0.001). These data suggest that hyperinsulinemia in association with lipid abnormalities could appear early (before the development of Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Diabetes) in first degree relatives of NIDDM patients.

Objective: To establish whether age at the time of surgery and location of the testes help to determine the anatomopathological lesions., Patients and Methods: Between 1972 and 1992 surgery was performed on 2000 testes in 1342 children, 658 of whom had bilateral cryptorchidism. The clinical, surgical and anatomopathological records were reviewed., Results: Parametric and non-parametric tests failed to reveal any relation between the tubular fertility index or tubular diameter and the time of surgery or testicular location., Conclusion: We cannot recommend a particular age at which surgery should be performed, in relation to the anatomopathological damage.

With the purpose of exploring the glucose and insulin responses to a breakfast composed of a complex carbohydrate (CC) in the form of a "arepa" prepared with precooked corn flour, with or without the addition of protein and fat (CC + P + F), we studied 6 healthy volunteers, ages ranging from 26-50 years and body mass index of 24.5 +/- 1.32. Three tests were performed on each individual: 1) 75 g OGTT, 2) Ingestion of 75 g of CC ("arepa") and 3) Ingestion of 75 g of CC + 6.7 g protein (low fat cheese) and 4 g fat (margarine). Glycemic values (glucose - oxidase method) and insulinemia (radioimmunoassay) were determined at basal, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min. Glucose (GA) and insulin (IA) areas, glycemic index (GI) and insulin/glucose ratio (I/G) were calculated. We found that the "arepa" has a high GI (71.5%) that it is increased, although not significatively to 140% with the addition of protein and fat. Total GA as well as IA obtained for CC and for CC + P + F were similar to OGTT, however the profiles of the glucose and insulin responses during CC and CC + P + F were less abrupt but more prolonged, resulting in a greater I/G ratio for OGTT in comparison with CC or CC + P + F during the initial steps. We conclude that GI of this corn bread ("arepa") is high in comparison to other complex carbohydrates and it is not altered by the addition of protein and fat. This is possibly due to glucose and insulin responses similar to that produced by OGTT.

Previous studies carried out in our laboratory showed that Streptococcus mutans--a cariogenic oral bacteria--did not metabolize an anticariogenic sugar alcohol, xylitol, even after a 10-month adaptative period with monthly transfers to a fresh medium. Due to the potential risk to adaptation observed in bacterias, it was studied the behavior of Streptococcus mutans (Strain 1161, Ingbritt) exposed to the polyol during 7 months, without monthly transfers to a new medium. After 7 months the cells were monthly transferred to a fresh medium for 7 more months. The cells were maintained and grown in a Trypticase-soytone-base medium without dextrose which contained xylitol (0.25 g/100 mL) or no sugar added. The control was represented by cells of Streptococcus mutans growing in Trypticase- soytone-base medium containing dextrose (0.25 g/100 mL). The growth pattern in the presence of xylitol was similar to that obtained in the cultures without sugar added, but it was 63-78% lower when compared with the control. The final pH in the cultures with xylitol was around 6.0; in the control it was very low (4.69 +/- 0.12). When the cells maintained in xylitol were transferred to the medium containing dextrose, the growth pattern was similar to that of the control. Any cultures fermented xylitol; the pH of the fermentation medium remained around 6.00 when the xylitol was present. No uptake of 14C-xylitol was observed and the activity of the enzyme xylitol dehydrogenase could not be detected with the experimental procedure used. The present study confirmed the Streptococcus mutans inability to metabolize xylitol, even after a prolonged adaptative period in the sugar alcohol. Moreover, it demonstrated that xylitol could be considered an inert substance to Streptococcus mutans since the cells were viable in the presence of the xylitol, or in the medium without sugar added.

In order to improve the early diagnosis of the aortoiliac injuries, 98 arteries from several supposedly health patients (different ages) and 41 femoral arteries from patients with occlusion at this level (demonstrated by arteriography) were studied. The analysis from the Fourier's series showed highly significant differences between both groups, and so did the comparison of some indexes automatically measured by the Vasoscan VL equip. By multivariant statistics methods was selected the main group of parameters that allows the differentiation between the ill patients and the healthy ones. This procedure can be useful for the physiopathological study and it may be used as a non-invasive method of diagnosis.

This study was designed to describe the presence of calcifications according to the clinical features of the diabetic patient and the hemodynamics of the calcified arteries. With this purpose, 197 lower limbs from diabetic patients (type I and II) and carbon-hydrate intolerant patients, were studied. In all of the patients, the pressure ratio leg/arm was measured. On the same way, the arterial flow velocity was recorded using the Doppler ultrasonography on the pedia and postero-tibial arteries. The arterial calcifications, evident on the radiography of the foot, were more frequent between the type I patients and the neuro-infections diabetic foot. According to the hemodynamics point of view, we found a trend of association of more pathologic arterial flow velocity curves with the presence of calcifications (specially on the intima layer). It was also remarkable that an arterial incomprensibility was always associated with arterial calcifications.

The effect of glutamine and asparagine on glucose metabolism has been studied in ascites tumor cells. Either of these amino acids decreased the glycolytic flux about 80%. Half-maximal effects were obtained with 0.14 mM glutamine and 0.087 mM asparagine. Among the 20 L-amino acids, only glutamate produced a similar effect. Glutamine and asparagine caused a 70% increase of hexose monophosphates and a large decrease of fructose-1,6-P2 and triose phosphates, evidencing a strong inhibition of the phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.11) reaction. Analysis of the levels of various phosphofructokinase effectors revealed that fructose-2,6-P2 and AMP decreased 4-fold, phosphoenolpyruvate, citrate, and ATP increased 4-, 3-, and 1.8-fold, respectively, and that there was no change in ADP, Pi, and intracellular pH. Assay of phosphofructokinase at concentrations of substrates and effectors determined to be in the cells showed that the low activity of this enzyme could be accounted for by the change in the concentration of effectors, the major mechanism being the change in adenine nucleotides. The decrease in fructose-2,6-P2 contributed very little to the inhibition of phosphofructokinase activity. The effects of amino acids were prevented by amino-oxyacetate, suggesting that transamination was an obligatory step for these changes.

In order to improve the early diagnosis of arterial occlusions, we tried to establish the basis of an automatized system that allowed the study of the hemodynamic features of diabetic patients in the different stadii of their disease. Fifty-four patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type II were included in the study. In all of them, arterial flow curves were carried out at different levels: femoral, popliteal, pedia and tibial posterior arteries of both lower limbs. In the distal arteries of patients with hemodynamic injury, normal values of Maximal Systolic Velocity (Max A), Maximal Diastolic Velocity (Max D), Peurcelot's resistance (PR), pulsatility index (PI) and spectral band (SB), were found.

In order to improve in the early diagnosis of an arterial occlusion, we proposed the bases of an automatized system that allows to recognize the hemodynamic features of diabetic patients in different stadiums of their disease. Fifty-four patients with type-II diabetes were studied. We recorded the arterial flow curves in the bilateral femoral, popliteal, pedia and tibial-posterior arteries from all of our patients. In the distal arteries from patients with hemodynamics disturbances, we found normal values of the variants measured: maximal systolic speed flow (Max A), maximal diastolic speed flow (Max D), Peurcelot's resistance (RP), pulsatility index (PI) and spectral band (SB).

40 limbs from normal persons and 32 limbs from patients with postphlebitic syndrome were studied. The latter group was classified according to the phlebography in partial and total recanalized postphlebitic groups. The research was carried out with a strain gauge plethysmograph and an ergometric bicycle. The patients showed the greater values of the venous volume, the maximal venous outflow and the rate of venous refilling, specially, the patients with total recanalized postphlebitic syndrome; this suggest a greater degree of venous valve insufficiency and a loss of the viscoelastic properties of venous vascular wall. The peripheral resistance was greater in the postphlebitic groups and it suggests a higher sympathetic nervous tone. The physical working capacity was lower in the postphlebitic patients and no relation was observed between it and the plethysmographic parameters.

The present study included 21 lower limbs with micro varicosities, 56 lower limbs with retrograde flow-varicosities (positive Rivlin) and 35 health lower limbs. Technics used for diagnosis were: Doppler ultrasonography and strain gauge plethysmography. We found a higher incidence of valvular failure on the varicose patients with retrograde flow (showing changes on their viscoelastic features of their venous walls). On the contrary, patient with microvaricosities showed an hemodynamics similar to the healty patient: we did not found any difference on the variables analyzed between the two groups. We conclude that the presence of microvaricosities has no influence on the analyzed hemodynamic parametres.

Background: Ultraviolet B radiation decidedly influences the synthesis of vitamin D and therefore mineral and bone metabolism. It must also be taken into account that a normal unsupplemented diet is usually deficient in this vitamin. Two groups of subjects pertaining to the Spanish Antarctic Expedition 1988-1989 were studied to determine whether special conditions of irradiation and solar exposure found in Antarctica induce alterations in the abovementioned metabolism., Methods: Each group consisted of 11 healthy males with ingestion of less than 500 mg/day of calcium. The second group was administered vitamin D3 supplements of 1,000 UI/day. Two blood samples were performed at an interval of 22 days during the Antarctic summer to determine calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, parathormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D]., Results: Neither group varied in calcemia, phosphoremia or magnesemia. In the first group the 25(OH)D decreased markedly (p less than 0.01) with no variations being observed in PTH. In the supplemented group, and insignificant increase of 25(OH)D was observed which was significant enough to cause a marked decrease in PTH (p less than 0.01)., Conclusions: Subjects passing periods of time in Antarctica should receive vitamin D3 supplementation at doses less than 1,000 UI/day.

With the development of noninvasive haemodynamic methods, recognition of arterial insufficiency signs is possible also in cases in which, in old times, we just could suspect a psychogenic cause. Although this advance, discrimination permitted by this method can be improved. Eighty-eight supposed healty patients and eighty-four patients with arteriogenic erectile impotency (tested by arteriography) were included into an study, which results are presented in here. Analysis made, avoided the effect of envelleiment on haemodynamic parameters interpretation. For identification of patients which obstructive arterial defect can be cause of sexual disfunction, combination of systolic pressure determination and arterial flow velocity curves (by Doppler ultrasonography) is proposed. We recommend this method as a part of the multifactorial examen required by such type of patients.

Background: Abnormalities in phosphocalcic and vitamin D metabolism may develop in patients with active tuberculosis (TB). Their incidence and relationship with the disease is not well known, particularly in our area. We have prospectively evaluated 40 patients with TB [(30 with localized TB (LTB) and 10 with disseminated TB (DTB)]., Methods: After stabilizing the diet during 4 days, the calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and creatinine balances, blood ionic calcium, plasma intact PTH, 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] and serum 1.25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1.25(OH)2D] were measured., Results: Hypercalcemia was not found in any patient, but 25% had hypercalciuria (HC). The 24-hour urinary excretion of calcium was higher in patients than in controls (3.2 +/- 1.7 mg/kg or 0.10 +/- 0.06 mg/100 ml of GFR vs 2.3 +/- 0.7 mg/kg or 0.08 +/- 0.03 mg/100 ml of GFR, p less than 0.05), basically at the expense of patients with DTB (4.4 +/- 1.8 mg/kg or 0.14 +/- 0.06 mg/10 ml of GFR, p less than 0.005). These had a lower PTH than patients with LTB and controls (12.8 +/- 7.7 vs 18.5 +/- 6.9 vs 19.5 +/- 6.0 pg/ml, p less than 0.05). Independently from the extent of the disease, the patients with HC had a lower PTH (12.6 +/- 6.8 vs 18.5 +/- 6.9 pg/ml, p less than 0.01) and higher serum 1.25(OH)2D (34.5 +/- 10.1 vs 25.0 +/- 7.2 pg/ml, p less than 0.01) than patients without HC. The levels of 25(OH)D were lower in patients with TB than in controls (11.2 +/- 6.0 vs 20.0 +/- 7.0 ng/ml, p less than 0.05), independently from the extent of the disease and the presence or absence of HC., Conclusions: Patients with tuberculosis may have hypercalcinuria with inadequately high levels of 1.25(OH)2D and low intact PTH. This abnormality appears to be correlated with the extent of the disease.

The plethysmographic strain gauge venous outflow curves were studied by means of an exponential function. The parameters analyzed made possible the establishment of differences between patients with and without DVT.

In order to evaluate the results of the lumbar sympathectomy, we studied 49 patients in the National Institute of Angiology and Vascular Surgery during two years. The hemodynamic tests were performed the day before and one month after the surgical intervention; they included: skin thermometry, measurement of arterial blood flow and resistance in the foot and in the leg, and reactive hyperemia under photoplethysmographic control. Objectively, it could be seen only an increase in the distal skin temperature and an increase of skin blood flow after this treatment.

The purpose of this work was to estimate the 24 h urinary excretion of free and conjugated triiodotironine (T3) using a direct radioimmunoassay and enzyme hydrolysis. Mean urinary values of free and total T3 (mean +/- 1 SD) in euthyroid controls were 2074 +/- 673 and 2819 +/- 809 pmol/24 h respectively. In patients with hyperthyroidism, values of free hormone were about 4.2 times higher than the mean value of the euthyroid controls, and about one-third in patients with hypothyroidism. These results show this measurement to be useful as an indicator of thyroid function. Mean renal clearance of free T3 was 211.6 +/- 62.8 ml/min (mean +/- 1 SD) in euthyroid controls, 260.8 +/- 87.5 ml/ml in hyperthyroid patients and 229 +/- 98.7 ml/min in hypothyroid patients. The data show that T3 renal clearance is, in all cases, greater than glomerular filtration rate, suggesting tubular secretion of T3.