ABSTRACT
The metabolic syndrome (MS) has become the new epidemic of this century. Although its associated pathologies may vary, the most common are hypertension, central obesity, dyslipidemia, low High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), high Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), and type-2 diabetes. Several others can be present, such as hypertriglyceridemia, cardiopathies, atherosclerosis, altered levels of sex hormones, hypogonadism in men and nephropathy. Several factors such as gender, age, race, lifestyle and diet may contribute to modify its prevalence: men develop cardiovascular diseases at an earlier age than pre-menopausal women, who seem to be protected by the antioxidant properties of estrogens. The present review offers information, mostly from 2008 to the present, as well as our own work on a rat model of MS, which was developed by the administration of sucrose in drinking water. Sex steroid hormones play an important role in the appearance and development of the MS and of cardiovascular diseases. Variations in the levels of sex hormones, whether normal or pathological, may have significant influence in the onset of several diseases, metabolic syndrome components included, as well as in the behavior of tissues and organs. These are just some of the non-reproductive actions of sex hormones.
Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism , Metabolic Diseases/etiology , Animals , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Diet , Disease Models, Animal , Epidemiologic Factors , Female , Humans , Life Style , Male , Metabolic Diseases/epidemiology , Rats , Risk Factors , Sex CharacteristicsABSTRACT
General surgery was the first specialty of medicine. Nowadays, it is fragmented a progressive number of specialties, and has lost many of its fields. What will be the future of general surgery? What will be its repercussion on teaching surgery? From the point of view of a professor of surgery, our specialty today has nothing like what it was in the middle of the past century. Every day, its field of action becomes more and more reduced. Probably in the future, training in surgery will be limited to 2 years of basic knowledge, before the resident goes into the specialty of his/her choice.
Subject(s)
General Surgery/trends , Forecasting , Humans , MexicoABSTRACT
Unnecessary operations represent between 20 and 25% of total surgical practice. This article analyses causes, history, enormous economic effects and their consequences as an iatrogenic harm. Looking for a solution to the problem of unnecessary operations is urgent because these surgeries have a direct effect on the field of ethics and morality in the practice of surgery.
Subject(s)
Ethics, Medical , Surgical Procedures, Operative , Unnecessary Procedures , Defensive Medicine/economics , Humans , Iatrogenic Disease , Referral and Consultation/economics , Surgical Procedures, Operative/economics , Unnecessary Procedures/economicsSubject(s)
Cardiovascular System/drug effects , Signal Transduction/drug effects , Alkyl and Aryl Transferases/antagonists & inhibitors , Animals , Cardiovascular System/cytology , Cell Division/drug effects , Cell Division/physiology , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Farnesyltranstransferase , Humans , Protein Kinase C/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Kinase C/drug effects , Protein Kinase C/physiology , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/drug effects , Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/physiology , Signal Transduction/physiology , ras Proteins/drug effects , ras Proteins/physiologyABSTRACT
Insulin-elicited endothelin release in hypertriglyceridemic, hypertensive, hyperinsulinemic (HTG) rats was shown. Weanling male Wistar rats were given 30% sucrose in their drinking water for 20-24 wk. In vitro contractions of aorta and femoral arteries were elicited with 40 mM KCl. Endothelin release induced with KCl plus 50 microU/ml insulin resulted in increases in contractile responses: 41 +/- 5.9 and 57 +/- 6% for control and 65.5 +/- 6 and 95 +/- 9% for HTG aortas and femoral arteries, respectively. The endothelin ET(B)-receptor blocker BQ-788 decreased responses to KCl + insulin by 39 +/- 8 and 53 +/- 5% in control and 48 +/- 13 and 79 +/- 3.5% in HTG aortas and femoral arteries, respectively. The ET(A)-receptor antagonist PD-151242 inhibited these responses by 12 +/- 10 and 1 +/- 9% in control and by 51.5 +/- 9 and 58.5 +/- 1% in HTG aortas and femoral arteries, respectively. These results suggest that endothelin may contribute to the hypertension in this model.
Subject(s)
Endothelin-1/metabolism , Hypertension/physiopathology , Hypertriglyceridemia/physiopathology , Insulin/physiology , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology , Azepines/pharmacology , Glucose Tolerance Test , Hypertension/metabolism , Hypertriglyceridemia/metabolism , Male , Muscle Contraction/drug effects , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/drug effects , Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/physiopathology , Oligopeptides/pharmacology , Piperidines/pharmacology , Potassium Chloride/pharmacology , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
There exists, in our times, a great confusion concording the different techniques for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux. Today, for instance, we use the name "fundoplication" for different operations that, in many occasions, have nothing to do with the original description of the technique. It can be said that there exists a great lack of knowledge of the historical origins and of the evolution of all of these operations. The authors of this article have done a large-scale review of the original publications, as they appeared, for the first time, in medical literature.
Subject(s)
Digestive System Surgical Procedures/history , Gastroesophageal Reflux/history , Digestive System Surgical Procedures/methods , Gastroesophageal Reflux/surgery , History, 20th Century , HumansABSTRACT
There exists great confusion concerning the different techniques for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux. For instance, we apply the term fundoplication to different operations that often have nothing to do with the original description, and there is a serious lack of knowledge of the historical origins of many of these operations. This analysis is the result of a large review of the operations, and of the original papers as they were published.
Subject(s)
Fundoplication/history , Gastroesophageal Reflux/surgery , Gastroesophageal Reflux/history , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , HumansABSTRACT
A case of a 66-year-old woman with a giant fibrovascular polyp protruding from the mouth is presented. The polyp was successfully removed by a cervical esophagotomy.
Subject(s)
Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology , Mouth/pathology , Polyps/pathology , Aged , Connective Tissue/pathology , Esophagus/pathology , Female , Humans , Mucous Membrane/pathologyABSTRACT
The operative Model of Primary Health Care, was developed to offer health services to a population living under conditions of extreme poverty in the municipality of Chimalhuacán, State of México. This article describes the theorical framework, organization and operationalization of an innovative model, changing the current paradigm of clinical practice to include allied health personnel with and especial training. At the core of the model is the Basic Unit of Primary Care that includes one physician and five allied health technicians for each 15,000 habitants. This model offer an alternative to improve the utilization of available personnel and infrastructure. Finally this paper emphasizes the importance of the permanece, surveillance and evaluation of the model.
Subject(s)
Primary Health Care , Adult , Allied Health Personnel , Female , Humans , Male , Models, Theoretical , Physicians , Poverty , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , WorkforceSubject(s)
Transplantation , Animals , Bioethics , Dogs , Female , Fetal Tissue Transplantation , Heart Transplantation , Humans , Kidney Transplantation , Male , Mice , Rats , Tissue Donors , Transplantation/psychology , Transplantation Immunology , Transplantation, HeterologousABSTRACT
The aim of the present article was to study if changes in glucose availability modify the functional activity of the glucose-dependent developing heart. Our data indicate that a decrease in glucose availability increases tension development and action potential duration at early fetal stages. This fact could probably be explained by the enhancement of Ca2+ movements that regulate the number and turnover rate of membrane glucose transporters in muscle cells. The sensitivity to glucose availability decreases postnatally as the heart becomes fatty acid-dependent.
Subject(s)
Fetal Heart/physiology , Glucose/pharmacology , Action Potentials/drug effects , Action Potentials/physiology , Animals , Animals, Newborn , Fetal Heart/drug effects , Fetal Heart/growth & development , Glucose/metabolism , Heart Rate/drug effects , Heart Rate/physiology , Isometric Contraction/drug effects , Isometric Contraction/physiology , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
Several aspects of heart development are reviewed such as development of excitability and electrical and mechanical activity of the heart. Special emphasis is made upon metabolic changes during heart development and its possible consequences on electrical and mechanical activity.
Subject(s)
Fetal Heart/embryology , Fetal Heart/metabolism , Biological Transport , Biomechanical Phenomena , Electrophysiology , Energy Metabolism , Fetal Heart/physiology , Glucose/metabolism , HumansSubject(s)
Greek World , Religion and Medicine , Academies and Institutes , Greek World/history , History, Ancient , Mexico , Sculpture , SymbolismABSTRACT
The ontogeny of glucose regulation was studied in the rat by measuring the levels of plasma glucose, tissue glucose and tissue glycogen from fetal day 15 (E15) to adulthood. Since insulin and adrenaline are important glucose regulators in the adult, we also tested the effects of these hormones on above variables. The main findings are the following: 1) Umbilical blood glucose was very low (25 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E19, increasing to 66 mg/100 ml by E21 but still below maternal levels (110 mg/100 ml). 2) Umbilical venous-arterial (VEN-ART) glucose differences were very small (1 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E17, increased to 6 mg/100 ml by E19, but dropped again becoming negative (-15 mg/100 ml) just before birth when umbilical arterial blood glucose rose above venous blood glucose. 3) Glucose and glycogen concentrations rose drastically in liver towards the end of gestation. 4) Tissue glycogen and, to a much lesser degree, glucose, fell after birth to rise again in adulthood. 5) Insulin injection caused an increase in liver glycogen from E17 onwards, and also increased glycogen in brain and placenta on E19. However, insulin decreased glycogen in brain and kidney by E21. 6) Adrenaline caused an increase in the umbilical venous-arterial glucose difference at E15 and E17 with a concomitant increase in liver, brain and heart glycogen at E15. By E21 the response of liver glycogen to adrenaline was drastically reversed. Our data suggest that the mechanism regulating glucose homeostasis changes half way through fetal development. Tissue self-regulation is replaced with a centralized mechanism similar to that of the adult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Subject(s)
Blood Glucose/metabolism , Epinephrine/pharmacology , Glycogen/metabolism , Insulin/pharmacology , Animals , Blood Glucose/analysis , Body Weight , Embryonic and Fetal Development , Female , Fetus/metabolism , Glucose/metabolism , Glycogen/analysis , Liver/physiology , Liver Glycogen/analysis , Organ Size , Pregnancy , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
The ontogeny of glucose regulation was studied in the rat by measuring the levels of plasma glucose, tissue glucose and tissue glycogen from fetal day 15 (E15) to adulthood. Since insulin and adrenaline are important glucose regulators in the adult, we also tested the effects of these hormones on above variables. The main findings are the following: 1) Umbilical blood glucose was very low (25 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E19, increasing to 66 mg/100 ml by E21 but still below maternal levels (110 mg/100 ml). 2) Umbilical venous-arterial (VEN-ART) glucose differences were very small (1 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E17, increased to 6 mg/100 ml by E19, but dropped again becoming negative (-15 mg/100 ml) just before birth when umbilical arterial blood glucose rose above venous blood glucose. 3) Glucose and glycogen concentrations rose drastically in liver towards the end of gestation. 4) Tissue glycogen and, to a much lesser degree, glucose, fell after birth to rise again in adulthood. 5) Insulin injection caused an increase in liver glycogen from E17 onwards, and also increased glycogen in brain and placenta on E19. However, insulin decreased glycogen in brain and kidney by E21. 6) Adrenaline caused an increase in the umbilical venous-arterial glucose difference at E15 and E17 with a concomitant increase in liver, brain and heart glycogen at E15. By E21 the response of liver glycogen to adrenaline was drastically reversed. Our data suggest that the mechanism regulating glucose homeostasis changes half way through fetal development. Tissue self-regulation is replaced with a centralized mechanism similar to that of the adult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ABSTRACT
The ontogeny of glucose regulation was studied in the rat by measuring the levels of plasma glucose, tissue glucose and tissue glycogen from fetal day 15 (E15) to adulthood. Since insulin and adrenaline are important glucose regulators in the adult, we also tested the effects of these hormones on above variables. The main findings are the following: 1) Umbilical blood glucose was very low (25 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E19, increasing to 66 mg/100 ml by E21 but still below maternal levels (110 mg/100 ml). 2) Umbilical venous-arterial (VEN-ART) glucose differences were very small (1 mg/100 ml) from E15 to E17, increased to 6 mg/100 ml by E19, but dropped again becoming negative (-15 mg/100 ml) just before birth when umbilical arterial blood glucose rose above venous blood glucose. 3) Glucose and glycogen concentrations rose drastically in liver towards the end of gestation. 4) Tissue glycogen and, to a much lesser degree, glucose, fell after birth to rise again in adulthood. 5) Insulin injection caused an increase in liver glycogen from E17 onwards, and also increased glycogen in brain and placenta on E19. However, insulin decreased glycogen in brain and kidney by E21. 6) Adrenaline caused an increase in the umbilical venous-arterial glucose difference at E15 and E17 with a concomitant increase in liver, brain and heart glycogen at E15. By E21 the response of liver glycogen to adrenaline was drastically reversed. Our data suggest that the mechanism regulating glucose homeostasis changes half way through fetal development. Tissue self-regulation is replaced with a centralized mechanism similar to that of the adult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ABSTRACT
Although it has been reported that insulin decreases glucose efflux from the brain causing an increase in brain glucose retention, its mechanism of action is still unknown. The present results indicate that peripheral insulin may act through the stimulation of insulin-sensitive receptors localized in the region irrigated by the coeliac trunk and innervated by the vagus nerve. Stimulation of this zone in anaesthetized, artificially ventilated rats with a bolus millidose of insulin (50 mU) caused a significant increase in brain glucose retention as a result of decreased glucose efflux from the brain. The same dose of insulin injected 1-2 cm caudally in the abdominal aorta below the coeliac trunk failed to increase brain glucose retention. The effects of insulin above the coeliac trunk disappear when the vagus nerve is sectioned, suggesting that the vagus participates as the afferent pathway of this reflex.