Cellular remodelling by apoptosis during porcine placentation.

The mechanisms that regulate the apoptosis are essential to the normal development and maintenance of homoeostasis and play an important role in placental development in mammals. During porcine pregnancy, there must be a proper cellular remodelling to achieve a normal gestational development. Knowledge of pig physiology during pregnancy will explore options to increase the productivity of this species of high economical value. The purpose of this work was to study the cell morphology and apoptosis of porcine placentas from early, mid and late pregnancy. For that purpose, high-resolution light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were performed to the study of cell morphology. TUNEL, the apoptosis index (IAp) and the expression of c-FLIP through immunohistochemistry technique were used to the study of apoptosis. High-resolution light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of placental cells with ultrastructural apoptotic features. Apoptotic nuclei were detected by TUNEL in different placental structures and phagocytes containing apoptotic bodies. The IAp in villi was 9.34% at early, 0.82% at mid and 23.85% at late pregnancy. Statistically significant differences were found between periods (p < 0.05). In previous studies, we determined a differential induction of the apoptotic routes in the placental villi in agreement with the gestational period. A co-expression of receptors and mitochondrial proteins in placental connective tissue was detected, but the immunolocalization of c-FLIP would indicate an endogenous inhibition of the extrinsic pathway. In conclusion, in swine there exists differential activation of inducing apoptotic pathways in different placental structures according to the gestational period.

Multiple sclerosis prevalence in Malaga, Southern Spain estimated by the capture-recapture method.

BACKGROUND: Although not definitively proven, there is commonly accepted to be a latitudinal gradient in the distribution of multiple sclerosis (MS), which is more frequent in temperate zones. The European Mediterranean countries are situated in a zone of median frequency, although ever increasing figures have been noted in the last decades. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the current prevalence rate of MS in the province of Malaga, Southern Spain. METHODS: The capture-recapture method (CRM) uses independent sources of data and permits the number of non-registered cases of a given disease to be estimated, and by doing so, to avoid ascertainment bias. RESULTS: Use of this method showed the estimated prevalence rate of MS in the province of Malaga, Southern Spain, to be 125/10(5) (95% confidence interval: 102/10(5)-169/10(5)), higher than the figures published previously. CONCLUSIONS: Although we recognize that these data need to be confirmed in further studies and in other areas of the country using a similar method, we believe this study is the first to find such high figure of prevalence, being very similar to the figures reported in recent years in other southern European countries.

Pielonefritis xantogranulomatosa: estudio retrospectivo de 8 casos / Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: a retrospective study of 8 cases

Hemos revisado las características clínicas, radiológicas y patológicas de la pielonefritis xan-togranulomatosa junto con la evolución de la enfermedad y una revisión bibliográfica de la misma. Se realiza un estudio retrospectivo en nuestro centro, obteniendo una muestra de 8 casos confirmados por anatomía patológica a través de los que describimos las características clínicas y diagnósticas. De los 8 casos (1 varón y 7 mujeres), 6 de ellos debutaron como cólico renal complicado, 1 se presentó con astenia y pérdida de peso y el otro caso fue un hallazgo incidental. El diagnóstico inicial se realizó mediante ecografía en 2 casos y TC en todos los casos, siendo confirmados todos mediante estudio histopatológico.

We have revised the clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics of Xanthogranuloma-tous pyelonephritis (XGP), together with the evolution of the disease and a literature review of the same. A retrospective study was performed at our center, obtaining a sample of 8 pathologically confirmed cases which we used to describe the clinical and diagnostic features. Of the 8 cases (1 male and 7 female), 6 of them presented complicated renal colic, one presented asthenia and weight loss and the other case was an incidental finding. The initial diagnosis was achieved with ultrasonography in 2 of the cases and with CT in all of the cases, all being confirmed by a histopathological study.

[Demyelinating polyradiculitis in neuro borreliosis]. / Polirradiculitis desmielinizante en la neuroborreliosis.

Demyelinating neuropathy is considered a rare complication of Lyme borreliosis. We report a case of meningoradiculitis due to Borrelia burgdorferi in which the neurophysiological analysis showed evidence of restricted demyelinating involvement of the nerve roots and plexus, with no peripheral involvement or signs of distal axonal lesions. Lyme disease, therefore, can in fact be associated with demyelinating polyradiculitis with no peripheral nerve damage.

[Effect of a controlled low-protein diet on the pharmacological response to levodopa and on the plasma levels of L-dopa and amino acids in patients with Parkinson's disease]. / Efecto agudo de la dieta hipoproteica controlada sobre la respuesta farmacológica a la levodopa y sobre los niveles plasmáticos de L-dopa y aminoácidos en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson.

Levodopa is the treatment of choice in Parkinson's disease, but a high percentage of patients develop complications in the response, including fluctuations, after some years of treatment. Although the origin of fluctuations is unknown, these could be, at least partly, attributed to pharmacokinetic factors. Aromatic aminoacids interfere in the absorption and brain penetration of levodopa, and lowering protein intake improves the quality of the response. The continuation of a low-protein diet is difficult for some patients. In this way, to know if these diet effects are noticeable in an acute period would be interesting, in order to select groups of patients who were susceptible to improve with this treatment. In this report we have studied the acute effect of a low protein diet on the pharmacological response to levodopa, and the plasmatic levels of L-Dopa, 3-OM-Dopa and large neutral aminoacids. Protein restriction improves clinical response to levodopa, although the mechanisms of this improvement remain unknown.

Ebullición del agua y fórmula de inicio. Implicaciones nutricionales / Boiling of drinking water and reconstitution on infant formula: nutritional implications

La recomendación pediátrica de hervir el agua potable de consumo público para la preparación de los biberones aumenta la concentración de sus componentes químicos, lo que puede plantear problemas nutricionales en algunos casos. Material y métodos Se ha analizado el contenido en cloruros, sodio y potasio de 10 muestras de agua potable recogidas en distintos municipios de la Comunidad Valenciana (España) en febrero de 1998. Tras hervir el agua durarle 1, 5 y 10 minutos se ha determinado de nuevo la concentración en cloruros, sodio y potasio. Con estos datos, se ha calculado el aporte iónico global resultante de la fórmula de inicio reconstituida con agua hervida. Resultados. La ebullición del agua durante 10 minutos en zonas con intrusión marina, como algunas poblaciones de la Comunidad Valenciana, impide una reconstitución adecuada de la fórmula de inicio si se siguen las recomendaciones de la ESPGAN. Para la reconstitución de los biberones con fórmula de inicio se aconseja la ebullición del agua polable durante un minuto a nivel del mar o el empleo de agua mineral natural hipomineralizada (AU)