A diet based on cured acorn-fed ham with oleic acid content promotes anti-inflammatory gut microbiota and prevents ulcerative colitis in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Diets based on meat products are not recommended in the case of ulcerative colitis (UC). The objective here is to test if some traditional cured meat products, as acorn-fed ham (high levels of oleic acid), may be useful for controlling inflammatory diseases as UC in animal models, which could represent a new dietary complementary intervention in the prevention of this inflammatory disease in humans. METHODS: Two rat cohorts have been used: conventional vegetable rat feed and acorn-fed ham. UC was induced with DSS in drinking water ad libitum for 1 week. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and 16S rRNA metagenomics from bacterial populations were analyzed in cecum samples. Colon samples were analyzed for histological parameters. RESULTS: Acorn-fed ham diet induced changes in gut microbiota composition, with pronounced enrichments in anti-inflammatory bacterial genera (Alistipes, Blautia, Dorea, Parabacteroides). The animals with this diet showed a strong reduction in most parameters associated to ulcerative colitis: disease activity index, macroscopic score of colitis, epitelium alteration in colon mucosa, inflammatory cell density in colon, myeloperoxidase titers in colon, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IFN-γ). Also, acorn-fed ham diet animals showed increased total antioxidant activity an oleic acid levels in plasma, as well as higher short-chain fatty acid concentrations in cecum (isobutyric, isovaleric and valeric). CONCLUSIONS: In the acorn-fed ham cohort, as a result of the dietary intake of oleic acid and low intake of omega-6 fatty acids, a strong preventive effect against UC symptoms was observed.

How to detect non-institutionalized older patients at risk of malnutrition during their hospitalization? Comparison of 8 screening tools for malnutrition or nutritional risk.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of malnutrition is high among the elderly population. Hospital admission is a window of opportunity for its detection. OBJECTIVE: To assess the concordance of different nutritional scales in hospitalized patients. METHODS: Prospective study in non-institutionalized patients over 65 years of age admitted to an internal medicine department. Five malnutrition screening surveys (MNA, MST, MUST, NRS-2000 and CONUT) and three nutritional risk screening surveys (SCREEN 3, 8 and 14) were compared. As gold standard we use the Global Malnutrition Leadership Initiative for Malnutrition (GLIM) definition of malnutrition. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients (37% female, median age 83 years) were included. Forty-eight percent (95% CI 38-59%) of patients were classified as malnourished according to GLIM criteria. The SCREEN 3 scale was the most sensitive (93%; 95% CI 87-98) and MUST the most specific (91%; CI 85-99). The most effective scale for excluding suspected malnutrition was SCREEN 3 (LR- 0.17; 95% CI 0.05-0.53) and the best for confirming it was MST (LR+ 7.08; 95% CI 3.06-16.39). Concordance between the different scales was low or very low with kappa indices between 0.082 and 0.465. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive approach is needed to detect malnutrition in hospitalized patients. More sensitive scales are more useful in initial screening. Nutritional risk tools could be effective at this stage. In a second step, malnutrition should be confirmed according to established criteria such as GLIM.

Differential iron management in monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants from the Río Tinto basin.

The study of plants adapted to an extreme environment with a high concentration of iron such as Río Tinto allowed the study of important elements for the development and control of plant growth including their localization, management, and storage. The absorption, transport, and accumulation of iron were studied in different species of dicotyledons (Sarcocornia pruinosa, Salicornia patula, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, and Halogeton sativus of the Chenopodiaceae family) and monocotyledons (Imperata cylindrica, Cynodon dactylon, and Panicum repens from the Poaceae family), all obtained from the Río Tinto banks in different sample collection campaigns. The results clearly show that phytoferritin is not observed in the chloroplast of monocotyledons, an important difference from what is observed in dicotyledons. The presence of plastids with a high concentration of iron in the sieve tubes of monocotyledons strongly suggests their possible role in the transport and accumulation of iron in these plants.

Nickel localization on tissues of hyperaccumulator species of phyllanthus L. (Euphorbiaceae) from ultramafic areas of Cuba.

Two species of perennial Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae) (Phyllanthus orbicularis and Phyllanthus discolor, both endemic to ultramafic areas of Cuba, and their natural hybrid, Phyllanthus xpallidus) were selected for metal localization microanalysis. Different plant tissues were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray probe. All of the studied taxa are nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulators and significant concentrations of this element were found in different leaf and stem tissues. The highest Ni content was found in the laticifer tubes, whereas leaf epidermis Ni content resulted to be much more relevant in terms of total metal storage. Calcium and magnesium were found more evenly distributed in leaf and stem tissues.

Unilateral tarsal amyloidosis. / Amiloidosis tarsal unilateral.

CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old man presented with a unilateral left ptosis of two years onset. After ineffective treatment for vernal conjunctivitis for several months, the biopsy demonstrated tarsal amyloidosis. Surgical resolution of the case was anatomically and functionally satisfactory. DISCUSSION: Ocular amyloidosis is a rare disease that must be suspected with infiltrative mass lesions. Biopsy is the diagnostic method. Treatment should be individualised.

A bioactive triterpene from Lantana camara.

Lantana camara afforded a novel triterpene 22 beta-acetoxylantic acid and the known triterpenes, lantic acid, 22 beta-dimethylacryloyloxylantonolic acid, a mixture of 22 beta-dimethylacryloyloxy lantanolic acid and 22 beta-angeloyloxylantanolic acid and lantanolic acid. 22 beta-Acetoxylantic acid showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi. This compound and 22 beta-dimethylacryloyloxy lantanolic acid also showed antimutagenic activity.

The use of gastric ultrasonography in the evaluation of a new antiflatulent preparation in human volunteers.

A method is described for inducing experimental aerogastria (flatulence) in human volunteers by the ingestion of "whipped" egg-white. Abdominal ultrasonography was used to measure the distension of the stomach and its interference with the visualization of organs such as gall bladder, pancreas and left kidney lying behind the stomach. A double-blind crossover comparison of Flatoril, a mixture of dimethicone (200 mg) and clebopride (0.5 mg) against placebo clearly demonstrated the superior antifoaming activity of the former both in terms of reduced gastric distension and of improved visualization of organs otherwise hidden by the foam-filled stomach.

Lack of antihistamine properties of single dose cinnarizine in man.

A simple way to study a histamine antagonist in man is to observe the effect it has on the magnitude of the skin reaction to intradermal histamine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antihistamine activity of single oral doses of 75 mg cinnarizine using 75 mg diphenhydramine as control, both being compared to placebo. The study was performed with two groups of 5 healthy subjects, each group receiving one of the active treatments or placebo randomly under blind conditions. All subjects received intradermal injections on the forearm of a 0.05 ml saline solution containing 5 micrograms of histamine before and at different times after drug intake. The histamine-induced wheal area was measured and, after drug administration, the percent decrease of the wheal area was calculated. Results showed that diphenhydramine produced a significant inhibition of the histamine-induced wheal size at 1.5 h which lasted up to 4 h after drug administration, reaching maximum inhibition at 2.5 h. After cinnarizine treatment no significant decrease of the histamine-induced wheal area was observed at any time.

[The use of ropinirol ++ as a treatment for restless leg syndrome]. / Uso de ropinirol como tratamientodel síndrome de piernas inquietas.

INTRODUCTION: Restless legs is an unpleasant sensation in the calves that occurs when the individual is sitting or laying down, with an irresistible urge to move the legs. It has been know as a cause of insomnia. We have been using various drugs with a variety of effectiveness. Levodopa is now considered the drug of choice but drug tolerance is likely to develop the risk of drug dependence. Recently, a new drug was developed by Smithkline Beecham called ropinirol which principal indication is the treatment of initial phase of Parkinson's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Base on the idea of the efficacy de la levodopa in patients with restless legs we administered 0.25 mg of ropinirol at bedtime to 15 of our patients diagnosed with restless legs syndrome. None of them had received positive results using the classic treatments during more than five years since they had developed this syndrome. Before the treatment was begun, we discontinued any medications relating to this illness. RESULTS: Beneficial effects were observed after the first administration and has continued until this time, 12 months after the initial treatment. Efficacy was measure by using sleep questionnaires (Spiegel). With only a pill (0.25 mg) at the moment of laying down at bedtime reports a clear improvement in the symptoms, including reducing the periodic leg movements. CONCLUSION: That improvements continue without any secondary side effects and without appearing to have built up any tolerance for the medication. Further research is needed to investigate the long term efficacy and side effects of this new treatment, but at this moment is a valuable and satisfactory tool to treat restless legs syndromes.

[The efficacy of ropinirole in the treatment of chronic insomnia secondary to restless legs syndrome: polysomnography data]. / Eficacia del ropinirol como tratamiento del insomnio crónico secundario al síndrome de piernas inquietas: datos polisomnográficos.

INTRODUCTION: Following the line of our earlier investigations, we made an open pilot study using a polysomnograph to objectively show the efficacy of Ropinirole in the treatment of chronic insomnia secondary to the restless legs syndrome (RLS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We did polysomnograph studies on 5 patients with the characteristics of primary RLS, according to the criteria of the International Group for the study of RLS, who had had chronic insomnia for over 5 years. We used Spiegel's questionnaires to show subjective improvement. RESULTS: The following parameters were significant between the first night (without treatment) and the second night (with 0.25 mg of Ropinirole) and between night 30 without (treatment) and night 31 (with 0.25 mg of Ropinirole). The results were expressed as average values for the 5 patients with their respective standard deviations. Efficiency of sleep: 62.62% +/- 11.31 as compared with 82.82% +/- 8.80, p = 0.010. After 30 days: 64.88% +/- 17.17 against 88.75% +/- 2.09, p = 0.014. Total time asleep: 295' +/- 51.76 against 397.7 +/- 38.50, p = 0.006. After 30 days: 294.6' +/- 87.40 against 391' +/- 22.38, p = 0.025. Number of periodic movements: 91 +/- 33.59 against 30.8 +/- 35.56, p = 0.011. After 30 days: 189.8 +/- 99.79 against 36.2 +/- 21.56, p = 0.013. All patients had subjective improvement in the parameters of Spiegel's test (p = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: The improvement in efficiency of sleep seen on polisomnography, total time slept and reduction in periodic limb movements were statistically significant. The subjective improvement described was also confirmed by Spiegel's questionnaire.

[Pharmacological treatment of insomnia in children with neurological disorders]. / Tratamiento farmacológico del insomnio en niños con alteraciones neurológicas.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is usual, and a serious problem in children with neurological disorders. Few studies have been made of this and above all there are no guide lines or suggestions as to how to treat these problems. The difficulty is made worse by the different characteristics of the insomnia and of the affected children themselves. Poor sleeping is associated with other pathology of the patient (mental retardation, convulsions, etc.). DEVELOPMENT: We have revised the different modes of treatment, particularly pharmacological, which are available today. Guidelines as to how to handle this symptom are suggested. We also include a list of some drug reactions which may cause symptoms related to sleep (insomnia, excessive sleepiness or nightmares).

[The use of olanzapine in sleep disorders. An open trial with nine patients]. / Uso de olanzapina en los trastornos del sueño. Estudio abierto con nueve pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: The impossibility of treating patients with sleep disorders adequately means that, as specialists, we have to look for new pharmacological treatments and for this reason we examined the information in the paper by Salin Pascual (1999) about the increase in deep sleep when olanzapine is used as an antipsychotic drug. CASE REPORTS: We decided to use this medication in six females and three males who were suffering from different sleep disorders that conditioned their chronic insomnia. The dosages of olanzapine used ranged from 2.5 and 10 mg in a single dose. The clinical history and progress were used to elaborate the results and conclusions. The result was positive in eight of the nine patients, five who were administered the medication as monotherapy and three as polytherapy. CONCLUSION: The population studied is insufficient to prove the effectiveness of the drug, but the fact that in eight of our patients the treatment clearly improved their symptoms leads us to think that this line of research must be continued.

[Multicenter study of atenolol, combined with hydralazine and bendroflumethiazide in the treatment of essential, mild, and severe, arterial hypertension]. / Estudio multicéntrico del atenolol, asociado con hidralazina y bendroflumetiazida en el tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial esencial, moderada y severa.

The aim of the present study was to determine both the effectiveness and tolerance of a preparation constituted by the combination at fixed doses of a betablocker (atenolol, 100 mg), a diuretic (bendroflumethiazide, 5 mg) and a vasodilator (hydralazine, 50 mg). The study was carried out on a sample formed by 46 patients with moderate or severe essential hypertension who received this preparation as a single antihypertensive therapy during 2 months. As for the hypotensive effectiveness of the product, obtained results demonstrate that arterial blood pressure (BP) levels were normalized in 89% of the patients with moderate essential hypertension and in 9/10 patients with severe hypertension. Tolerance was excellent in most of the cases. Although new studies should be performed in order to enlarge the number of available case-studies, the above presented data allow us to conclude with a positive opinion about the studied combination.

Amiloidosis tarsal unilateral / Unilateral tarsal amyloidosis

CASO CLÍNICO: Varón de 23 años con ptosis unilateral izquierda de 2 años de evolución. Tras meses de tratamiento ineficaz para conjuntivitis vernal, la biopsia demostró una amiloidosis tarsal. La resolución quirúrgica del cuadro fue satisfactoria, tanto anatómica como funcionalmente. Discusión: La amiloidosis ocular es una enfermedad rara que se debe sospechar en casos de masas infiltrativas. El método diagnóstico es la biopsia. El tratamiento debe ser individualizado

CASE REPORT: A 23-year-old man presented with a unilateral left ptosis of two years onset. After ineffective treatment for vernal conjunctivitis for several months, the biopsy demonstrated tarsal amyloidosis. Surgical resolution of the case was anatomically and functionally satisfactory. DISCUSSION: Ocular amyloidosis is a rare disease that must be suspected with infiltrative mass lesions. Biopsy is the diagnostic method. Treatment should be individualised

Internal iron biomineralization in Imperata cylindrica, a perennial grass: chemical composition, speciation and plant localization.

* The analysis of metal distribution in Imperata cylindrica, a perennial grass isolated from the banks of Tinto River (Iberian Pyritic Belt), an extreme acidic environment with high content in metals, has shown a remarkable accumulation of iron. This property has been used to study iron speciation and its distribution among different tissues and structures of the plant. * Mossbauer (MS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to determine the iron species, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to locate iron biominerals among plant tissue structures, and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDAX), X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-MS) to confirm their elemental composition. * The MS spectral analysis indicated that iron accumulated in this plant mainly as jarosite and ferritin. The presence of jarosite was confirmed by XRD and the distribution of both minerals in structures of different tissues was ascertained by SEM-EDAX analysis. * The convergent results obtained by complementary techniques suggest a complex iron management system in I. cylindrica, probably as a consequence of the environmental conditions of its habitat.

Evaluation of the methodological quality of clinical trial protocols. A preliminary experience in Spain.

The methodological quality of 50 clinical trial protocols submitted to our hospital has been assessed by means of a check-list. The most frequent methodological deficiencies found were related to statistical analysis, selection criteria, sample size, incorrect use of placebo, homogeneity of the groups, concomitant medication, randomisation plan, monitoring of adverse events and study design. Lack of insurance for the patients and inadequacies in the investigators' brochure and case report forms were observed in a significant number of cases. The results suggest the importance of a multidisciplinary team in the elaboration of clinical trial protocols to prevent methodological errors.

The Bacillus subtilis genome from gerBC (311 degrees) to licR (334 degrees).

As part of the international project to sequence the Bacillus subtilis genome, the DNA region located between gerBC (311 degrees) and licR (334 degrees) was assigned to the institut Pasteur. In this paper, the cloning and sequencing of 176 kb of DNA and the analysis of the sequence of the entire 271 kb region (6.5% of the B. subtilis chromosome) is described; 273 putative coding sequences were identified. Although the complete genome sequences of seven other organisms (five bacteria, one archaeon and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) are available in public database, 65 genes from this region of the B. subtilis chromosome encode proteins without significant similarities to other known protein sequences. Among the 208 other genes, 115 have paralogues in the currently known B. subtilis DNA sequences and the products of 178 genes were found to display similarities to protein sequences from public databases for which a function is known. Classification of these genes shows a high proportion of them to be involved in the adaptation to various growth conditions (non-essential cell wall constituents, catabolic and bioenergetic pathways); a small number of the genes are essential or encode anabolic enzymes.