Search

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is considered a presumptive biomarker for lipid peroxidation in live organisms and cultured cells. The present study adapts an accurate and reproducible method to measure MDA by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivative in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in culture. Since MDA is assumed to increase in conditions of cellular oxidative stress, two compounds that induce pharmacological oxidative stress in cell cultures, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH), have been used in HepG2 cells. The results report a significant increase in the content of MDA derivative after treatment with 200 and 500microM t-BOOH for 3h, while H(2)O(2) in doses up to 500microM failed to evoke a similar response, indicating a stronger lipid peroxidation of t-BOOH to HepG2 cells than H(2)O(2). Thus, MDA can be used as a reliable biomarker for cellular oxidative stress in human hepatoma HepG2.

The effect of acidity, squalene, hydroxytyrosol, aldehydic form of oleuropein aglycon, hydroxytyrosyl acetate, tyrosol, homovanillic acid, luteolin, apigenin, alpha-tocopherol, and the mixtures hydroxytyrosol/hydroxytyrosyl acetate, hydroxytyrosol/tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol/alpha-tocopherol on the oxidative stability of an olive oil matrix was evaluated. A purified olive oil was spiked with several concentrations of these compounds and, then, subjected to an accelerated oxidation in a Rancimat apparatus at 100 degrees C. Acidity, squalene, homovanillic acid, and apigenin showed negligible effect. At the same millimolar concentrations, the different o-diphenolic compounds yielded similar and significant increases of the induction time, alpha-tocopherol a lesser increase, and tyrosol a scarce one. At low concentrations of o-diphenols and alpha-tocopherol, a linear relationship between induction time and concentration was found, but at high concentrations the induction time tended toward constant values. To explain this behavior, a kinetic model was applied. The effect of the mixtures hydroxytyrosol/hydroxytyrosyl acetate was similar to that of a single o-diphenol at millimolar concentration equal to the sum of millimolar concentrations of both compounds. Concentrations of tyrosol >0.3 mmol/kg increase the induction time by 3 h. The mixtures hydroxytyrosol/alpha-tocopherol showed opposite effects depending on the relative concentrations of both antioxidants; so, at hydroxytyrosol concentrations <0.2 mmol/kg, the addition of alpha-tocopherol increased the induction time, whereas at higher hydroxytyrosol concentrations, the alpha-tocopherol diminished the stability.

Objectives: An analysis is made of the influence of patient and surgical variables upon the postoperative pain and swelling normally associated with third molar extractions., Study Design: The following patient variables were considered in a series of 150 individuals subjected to third molar extraction: sex, age, and dimensions of neurotic personality trait and extroversion (based on the Eysenck Personality Inventory, EPI). The corresponding surgical intervention parameters were: duration, ostectomy degree, dental sectioning and number of sutures. Pain was scored on a visual analog scale (VAS) 0, 8, 24, 43 and 48 hours after surgery, while inflammation was rated by means of a verbal response scale (VRS) 48 hours after extraction., Results: Multivariate analysis showed postextraction pain to be mainly related to patient age and the number of sutures on the day of the operation, and to swelling over the subsequent days. A less important relation was observed with patient sex and the dimensions of neuroticism and extroversion., Conclusions: In conclusion, older patients and those subjected to extractions involving a greater number of sutures refer the most intense pain. In turn, patients with increased intensity pain also present greater inflammation.

A simple and precise analytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of squalene and methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters of fatty acids present in olive and olive pomace oils. A fraction containing squalene and fatty acid alkyl esters was isolated from the oil by solid phase extraction on silica gel cartridges and quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography. A modification of the procedure allowed the isolation of squalene and esters separately. Repeatability and recovery of the method were good. The method was applied to extra and lampant virgin olive oil categories and also to oils obtained from olive pomace by second centrifugation and solvent extraction. Extra virgin olive oils contained low amounts of fatty acid methyl and ethyl esters, while oils obtained from altered olive or olive pomace showed high concentrations of fatty acid alkyl esters, mainly ethyl esters. Correlation between oil acidity and ethyl esters concentration was poor.

Unlabelled: Galicia is a distinct region and an autonomous community of Spain with its own cultural identity. Two-thirds of the 2.7 million inhabitants live in the rural, reservoir of the traditional culture. Alcohol use is deeply rooted in Galician culture, and its abuse constitutes an important public health problem., Objectives: To analyze changes in alcohol consumption in the Galician adult population during the two last decades and its sociodemographic correlates, focusing on rural versus urban differences., Methods: The principal source of epidemiological information is the Galicia Study of Mental Health of Adult Population, the first household survey representative of the Galician population, in which a sample of 2510 people from the population aged 16 years and older were asked about alcohol consumption in 1985. Data from subsequent surveys are also summarized and interpreted in terms of the sociocultural evolution of Galician society., Results: The per capita annual rate of alcohol consumption in Galicia was 11,167cc pure alcohol, 40% higher than the national average. Personal and social characteristics associated with high alcohol consumption included: males in their thirties and young females, farmers, and low socioeconomic status. The traditional rural model of drinking in which alcohol is perceived as a daily nourishment still predominates. However, an urban consumer model is quickly growing, especially among young women.

Olives (Olea europaea) of the Manzanilla and Verdial varieties, harvested at the green mature stage of ripening, were heated at 30, 40, 45, and 50 degrees C during 24 h and at 40 degrees C during 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Just after treatments, oils were physically extracted from the olives. Olive heating promotes a reduction of oil bitterness in direct relationship to the time and temperature used. Fruit heating at < or =40 degrees C during 24 h did not produce significant changes of acidity, UV absorption, peroxide index, panel test score, or oxidative stability of the obtained oils. Both longer treatments at 40 degrees C and heating at >40 degrees C yielded oils with less oxidative stability. Oils obtained from olives heated at > or =40 degrees C showed higher concentrations of chlorophylls and carotenes. For each olive variety, a good correlation between oil bitterness and content of hydroxytyrosol secoiridoid derivatives was found.

A simple analytical method for the quantitative determination of phenols, flavones, and lignans in virgin olive oils was developed. The polar fraction was isolated from small amounts of oil sample (2.5 g) by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using diol-phase cartridges, and the extract was analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC coupled with diode array UV detection. Chromatographic separation of pinoresinol, cinnamic acid, and 1-acetoxypinoresinol was achieved. Repeatability (RSD < 6.5%), recovery (> 90%), and response factors for each identified component were determined. SPE on amino-phase cartridges was used for isolating acidic phenols and as an aid for phenol identification. For the first time, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl acetate was detected in olive oils. The aldehydic structure of the ligstroside aglycon was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. The colorimetric determination of total o-diphenolic compounds by reaction with molybdate was consistent with their HPLC determination. Differences between results obtained by liquid-liquid extraction and SPE were not statistically significant.

Objective: Four additional cases of nephrogenic adenoma are described., Methods: The clinical records of patients with nephrogenic adenoma that had been diagnosed at our hospital from 1994 to 1999 were reviewed., Results: The most frequent localization was the urinary bladder and it was more prevalent in middle-aged men. This condition usually presented as a histological finding in the course of follow-up or treatment of other bladder conditions by TUR or cystectomy. Biopsy is fundamental for diagnosis., Conclusions: Nephrogenic adenoma is a rare benign metaplastic lesion of the urinary tract that appears to result from chronic irritative stimulus to the urothelium. The treatment of choice is by transurethral resection. Although no case of progression to malignancy have been detected, long-term follow-up by endoscopy and ultrasound is advocated due to its predispositon to recurrence.

Introduction: Presentation of adenocarcinoma of the prostate as an intracranial metastasis is uncommon. This metastasis tends to be seen in the sphenoid bone, and in this case it is difficult to differentiate radiologically from a meningioma. Because this cancer is treatable, the differential diagnosis must be resolved as soon as possible., Clinical Case: A 72 year old man presented with a rapidly progressive left parasellar syndrome. On neuroimaging there was a tumour at the level of the left lesser wing of the sphenoid, which was isodense and iso-intense and also showed homogeneous uptake of contrast material. On angiography the circulation was pathological with homogeneous delayed filling. The initial diagnosis was meningioma of the lesser wing of the sphenoid. Months later the patient complained of bone and respiratory problems. At this time plain chest X-ray was compatible with carcinomatous lymphangitis. Therefore, tumour markers were studied and for the first time the specific prostatic antigen was investigated and found to be raised. Although there were no symptoms of prostatism, per rectum there was a malignant prostatic mass. In spite of complete hormone block, his illness followed an unfavorable course. At necropsy there was adenocarcinoma of the papillary prostate and a metastasis in the left lesser wing of the sphenoid., Conclusions: In elderly men, detection of a sphenoid tumour, which radiologically may appear to be a meningioma and although prostatism has not been diagnosed, the possibility of prostatic metastasis should be considered. Per rectum examination and specific prostatic antigen determination should be done in these patients.

Brucellosis has been described rarely in patients infected with HIV, despite the fact that eradication of intracellular brucellae is largely dependent on cell-mediated immunity. The characteristics of all patients with HIV infection and brucellosis seen in seven Spanish hospitals are reported. Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, 12 HIV-infected patients were diagnosed with brucellosis (8 with cultures positive for Brucella spp., 4 with high anti-Brucella antibody titers). Most patients were male and intravenous drug users. Eleven patients had no symptoms of HIV infection when first diagnosed with brucellosis and had relatively preserved cellular immunity (median CD4 + cell count 588, range 136-1006). There was a clear epidemiologic antecedent for acquisition of brucellosis in 11 patients. Clinical symptoms included fever, arthromyalgia, and sweating in all patients; four patients presented with focal disease. All patients had high agglutinin titers, and eight of nine had cultures positive for Brucella. Therapy with doxycycline and streptomycin was curative in all cases. Two patients experienced a recurrence of symptoms after initial treatment, although no microbiological relapses were documented after a median follow-up period of 18 months. HIV infection does not seem to increase the incidence of brucellosis. Since most cases occur in asymptomatic patients with relatively preserved immunity, the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, response to therapy, and outcome are similar to those observed in non-HIV infected patients.

The effect of a D-glucose on growth and erythromycin production by Streptomyces erythraeus was investigated. D-Glucose stimulated growth and caused a strong but temporary suppression of antibiotic formation. Maximum specific suppression of erythromycin formation occurred at a carbohydrate concentration of 20 mg ml-1. A non-metabolizable analogue of glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, also suppressed antibiotic formation. Since glucose caused a decrease in erythromycin formation only when added before the stage of antibiotic production, we conclude that this sugar exerted a transient repressive effect on erythromycin biosynthesis.