[High ratio of omega 6/omega 3 ratio children with neuropathies; cause or effect]. / Índice elevado de ácidos grasos omega 6/omega3 en niños con neuropatía; causa o efecto.

INTRODUCTION: The n-3 and n-6 fatty acids compete for the same elongases and desaturases, still highly deficient synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids from n-3 linolenic acid. The n-3 polyunsaturated prevent disease and are important in the development and maintenance of neuronal activities, necessitating a proper relationship with their antagonists n-6. This paper studies the proportion of these fatty acids. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the fatty acids of n- 3 and n-6 in sera and membrane phospholipid with 374 children neuropathies and 34 healthy children, using gas chromatography with mass detector. It has made the relevant statistical study. RESULTS: The n-3 (EPA and DHA) in serum and their corresponding membrane phospholipids correlate better than the n-6 family. The major n-6 (LA and ARA) are equally in serum, being significantly higher in phospholipids of healthy children. The n-3 (EPA and DHA) have higher values in healthy children, both in serum and phospholipids, their sum is equal to the membrane phospholipids. The n-6/n-3 ratio is higher in children with neurological disorder in both samples. CONCLUSION: Not being the cause of the high rate n-6/n- 3 neuropathy, however it is advisable to increase the intake of n-3, DHA particularly across the population, especially in children with neurological disorders.

Introducción: Los ácidos grasos n-3 y n-6 compiten por las mismas elongasas y desaturasas, siendo muy deficiente la síntesis de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados n-3 a partir de ácido linolénico. Los poliinsaturados n-3 previenen enfermedades y son importantes en el desarrollo y mantenimiento de las actividades neuronales, siendo necesaria una relación adecuada con sus antagonistas n- 6. En este trabajo se estudia la proporción de estos ácidos grasos. Material y métodos: Se han analizado los ácidos grasos n-3 y n-6 en sueros y fosfolípidos de membrana de 374 niños con neuropatías y de 34 niños sanos, mediante cromatografía de gases con detector de masas. Se ha realizado el estudio estadístico pertinente. Resultados: Los ácidos grasos n-3 (EPA y DHA) en suero y su correspondientes fosfolípidos de membrana correlacionan mejor que los de la familia n-6. Los mayoritarios n-6 (LA y ARA) están en igual proporción en sueros, siendo más elevados significativamente en los fosfolípidos de los niños sanos. Los n-3 (EPA y DHA) tienen valores más altos en los niños sanos, tanto en suero como en fosfolípidos, su suma se iguala en los fosfolípidos de membrana. El índice n-6/n-3 es mayor en los niños con trastorno neurológico en ambas muestras. Conclusión: No siendo la causa de la neuropatía el alto índice n-6/n-3, sin embargo es aconsejable incrementar la ingesta de n-3, sobre todo DHA en toda la población y en especial en los niños con trastornos neurológicos.

Isoflavones: effects on bone health.

BACKGROUND: There are many effects described, both experimental and clinical, that assess the relationship between isoflavones and bone. It has been hypothesized that isoflavones may have a positive effect on bone health. OBJECTIVE: To review the effects of isoflavones on biochemical markers of bone remodeling, bone density and bone quality, and finally on fracture incidence. METHODS: A systematic review was carried out of in vitro, animal, and human studies involving isoflavones and bone health. An electronic search was made, based on Internet search engines, MEDLINE (1966-June 2010) and the Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register. This search was further supplemented by a hand-search of reference lists of selected review papers. RESULTS: After crossing-cleaning the reference lists, 737 studies dealing with isoflavones and bone were identified. Of these, 36 were considered selectable. From in vitro and animal studies, isoflavones appear to stimulate osteoblastic bone formation and inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption. Reviewed data show evidence of a beneficial effect of isoflavones on bone health in peri- and postmenopausal women when high-isoflavone soy protein is incorporated in the diet. Inconsistencies observed among data from different studies are related to differences in study design, the variety of soy sources of isoflavones, time of analysis, and the variability in the bioavailability and metabolism of isoflavones. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the studies suggested a positive relationship between isoflavones and bone health. Further well-controlled, randomized, double-blind, clinical trials with a larger sample population, longer duration, and examination of various dosages are needed to better elucidate the inter-relationship between isoflavones and bone loss and to clarify whether isoflavones could prevent bone fractures.

Effect of a compound containing isoflavones, primrose oil and vitamin E in two different doses on climacteric symptoms.

The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of a compound containing isoflavones 60 mg, primrose oil 440 mg and vitamin E 10 mg. (IOVE) on menopausal complaints. This was an open, multicentre, randomised, group comparative, efficacy and safety trial. A total of 1,080 postmenopausal women, with climacteric symptoms, were allocated into one of two treatment groups to receive one (Group 1; n = 562) or two IOVE capsules (Group 2; n = 518) per day. The Blatt - Kupperman scale and safety parameters including weight, body mass index, blood pressure and adverse effects were assessed at the first visit before initiating the treatment, and 3 - 6 months thereafter. In addition, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride levels were measured at baseline and at the 6th month visit. Finally, at the end of follow-up, the patient's satisfaction was assessed. No differences between groups at the beginning of the study and during the follow-up were observed. A significant reduction in Blatt - Kupperman scores were observed in the two groups. In addition, the reduction of the symptoms was more intense in the first 3 months. Increasing doses of IOVE add no beneficial effects since both studied doses were equally effective in the reduction of climacteric complaints.

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Heterologous expression of the Phycomyces blakesleeanus phytoene dehydrogenase gene (carB) in Mucor circinelloides.

A phytoene dehydrogenase-deficient mutant of Mucor circinelloides accumulating only phytoene was transformed with the gene encoding the corresponding enzyme (carB gene) of Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Carotenoids derived from phytoene were detected in the transformants showing that the P. blakesleeanus carB gene complements the M. circinelloides carB mutation. These newly formed carotenoids accumulated in low quantities, indicating that functional complementation was poor. carB mRNA molecules correctly transcribed were detected in the transformants, but they represented a small proportion of the total population of carB-derived mRNAs, mostly constituted by truncated transcripts and by transcripts longer than the transcript that is functional in Phycomyces. These results showed that the P. blakesleeanus carB gene was expressed in M. circinelloides and suggested that the poor complementation observed was owing, at least in part, to the lack of specificity in the recognition of the transcription initiation and termination signals of the P. blakesleeanus carB gene by the M. circinelloides transcriptional machinery.