Francisco Rodríguez

Bio: Francisco Rodríguez is an academic researcher from Del Rosario University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ionic liquid & Control theory. The author has an hindex of 79, co-authored 748 publications receiving 24992 citations. Previous affiliations of Francisco Rodríguez include Autonomous University of Barcelona & University of Alcalá.

CONUT: A tool for Controlling Nutritional Status. First validation in a hospital population

Abstract: Background: The serious problem of hospital undernutrition is still being underestimated, despite its impact on clinical evolution and costs. The screening methods developed so far are not useful for daily clinical practice due to their low effectiveness/cost ratio. Objective: We present an screening tool for CONtrolling NUTritional status (CONUT) that allows an automatic daily assessment of nutritional status of all inpatients that undergo routine analysis. Design: The system is based on a computer application that compiles daily all useful patient information available in hospital databases, through the internal network. It automatically assesses the nutritional status taking into account laboratory information including serum albumin, total cholesterol level and total lymphocyte count. We have studied the association between the results of the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Full Nutritional Assessment (FNA) with those from CONUT, in a sample of 53 individuals. Results: The agreement degree between CONUT and FNA as measured by kappa index is 0.669 (p = 0.003), and between CONUT and SGA is 0.488 (p = 0.034). Considering FNA as “gold standard” we obtain a sensitivity of 92.3 and a specificity of 85.0. Conclusions: CONUT seems to be an efficient tool for early detection and continuous control of hospital undernutrition, with the suitable characteristics for these screening functions. (Nutr Hosp 2005, 20:38-45)

Neutrophil infiltration as an important factor in liver ischemia and reperfusion injury. Modulating effects of FK506 and cyclosporine.

Abstract: To examine the role of neutrophils, their presence and the degree of infiltration, as important determinants of ischemia and reperfusion injury of the liver, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 60 and 90 min of total-liver ischemia. The presence of neutrophils, assessed by the measurement of liver tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), and the degree of neutrophil liver infiltration, determined by the naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase technique, correlated well with animal survival and response to FK506 and cyclosporine administration. Lipid peroxidation, measured by the malondialdehyde (MDA) test in liver tissue, was another factor closely linked with liver function and survival. Pretreatment with FK506 (0.3 mg/kg) and CsA (5 mg/kg) was given at 4 hr and 1 hr before ischemia and at the time of reperfusion. Control ischemic animals showed increased neutrophil liver infiltration, high MPO and MDA liver levels, and diminished overall survival. FK506 and CsA-treated animals had better survival and diminished neutrophil liver infiltration, as well as MPO and MDA levels. The mechanism by which FK506 and CsA protected the animals from severe liver ischemic injury is unknown. Our data indicated that the presence and the degree of infiltration of neutrophils were important components of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat. So it is possible that one of the fundamental effects of the FK506 and CsA might be through the inhibition of the presence and infiltration of neutrophils in liver tissue.

Defective Prelamin A Processing and Muscular and Adipocyte Alterations in Zmpste24 Metalloproteinase-Deficient Mice

Abstract: The mouse ortholog of human FACE-1, Zmpste24, is a multispanning membrane protein widely distributed in mammalian tissues1,2 and structurally related to Afc1p/ste24p, a yeast metalloproteinase involved in the maturation of fungal pheromones3. Disruption of the gene Zmpste24 caused severe growth retardation and premature death in homozygous-null mice. Histopathological analysis of the mutant mice revealed several abnormalities, including dilated cardiomyopathy, muscular dystrophy and lipodystrophy. These alterations are similar to those developed by mice deficient in A-type lamin4, a major component of the nuclear lamina5, and phenocopy most defects observed in humans with diverse congenital laminopathies6,7,8. In agreement with this finding, Zmpste24-null mice are defective in the proteolytic processing of prelamin A. This deficiency in prelamin A maturation leads to the generation of abnormalities in nuclear architecture that probably underlie the many phenotypes observed in both mice and humans with mutations in the lamin A gene. These results indicate that prelamin A is a specific substrate for Zmpste24 and demonstrate the usefulness of genetic approaches for identifying the in vivo substrates of proteolytic enzymes.

Twelve-month safety of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (Avastin): results of the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group (PACORES).

Abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in many diseases of the posterior pole that are characterized by macular edema and/or intraocular neovascularization. Recently anti-VEGF agents such as ranibizumab and pegaptanib sodium have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). However in most parts of the world, both pegaptanib sodium and ranibizumab are not readily available. Bevacizumab, a humanized recombinant monoclonal IgG antibody that binds and inhibits all VEGF isoforms, has been proposed as an alternative treatment option. A total of 1,265 consecutive patients were injected with bevacizumab for diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, retinal vein occlusions, and CNV of several etiologies including ARMD at eight Latin American institutions from 1 September 2005 to 31 January 2006. Of these 1,265, 92 were excluded because they were injected once and lost to follow-up. The remaining 1,173 patients constitute the subjects of this retrospective, multicenter, open label, uncontrolled interventional case series that reports the cumulative systemic and ocular adverse events following intravitreal bevacizumab during 12 months of follow-up. Patients were examined at baseline and then monthly. If the patients were unable to attend the 12-month visit, a telephone interview was conducted to assess for possible systemic complications. A total of 4,303 intravitreal injections of bevacizumab on 1,310 eyes was reported. All 1,173 patients were accounted for at the 12-month visit. Systemic adverse events were reported in 18 (1.5%) patients. These included seven (0.59%) cases of an acute elevation of systemic blood pressure, six (0.5%) cerebrovascular accidents, five (0.4%) myocardial infarctions, two (0.17%) iliac artery aneurysms, two (0.17%) toe amputations and five (0.4%) deaths. Ocular complications included seven (0.16%) bacterial endophthalmitis, seven (0.16%) tractional retinal detachments, four (0.09%) uveitis, and a case (0.02%) each of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage. Despite the limited follow-up, repeated intravitreal injections of either 1.25 mg or 2.5 mg of bevacizumab appears to be safe and well tolerated during the 1st year.

Gas-bubble lesions in stranded cetaceans

Abstract: Was sonar responsible for a spate of whale deaths after an Atlantic military exercise? There are spatial and temporal links between some mass strandings of cetaceans — predominantly beaked whales — and the deployment of military sonar1,2,3. Here we present evidence of acute and chronic tissue damage in stranded cetaceans that results from the formation in vivo of gas bubbles, challenging the view that these mammals do not suffer decompression sickness. The incidence of such cases during a naval sonar exercise indicates that acoustic factors could be important in the aetiology of bubble-related disease and may call for further environmental regulation of such activity.

The Design and Analysis of Experiments

Abstract: THE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF EXPERIMENTS. By Oscar Kempthorne. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1952. 631 pp. $8.50. This book by a teacher of statistics (as well as a consultant for \"experimenters\") is a comprehensive study of the philosophical background for the statistical design of experiment. It is necessary to have some facility with algebraic notation and manipulation to be able to use the volume intelligently. The problems are presented from the theoretical point of view, without such practical examples as would be helpful for those not acquainted with mathematics. The mathematical justification for the techniques is given. As a somewhat advanced treatment of the design and analysis of experiments, this volume will be interesting and helpful for many who approach statistics theoretically as well as practically. With emphasis on the \"why,\" and with description given broadly, the author relates the subject matter to the general theory of statistics and to the general problem of experimental inference. MARGARET J. ROBERTSON

Phd by thesis

Abstract: Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

Methods for Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Efficient Hydrolysis and Biofuel Production

Abstract: Biofuels produced from various lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, agricultural, or forest residues, have the potential to be a valuable substitute for, or complement to, gasoline. Many physicochemical structural and compositional factors hinder the hydrolysis of cellulose present in biomass to sugars and other organic compounds that can later be converted to fuels. The goal of pretreatment is to make the cellulose accessible to hydrolysis for conversion to fuels. Various pretreatment techniques change the physical and chemical structure of the lignocellulosic biomass and improve hydrolysis rates. During the past few years a large number of pretreatment methods have been developed, including alkali treatment, ammonia explosion, and others. Many methods have been shown to result in high sugar yields, above 90% of the theoretical yield for lignocellulosic biomasses such as woods, grasses, corn, and so on. In this review, we discuss the various pretreatment process methods and the recent literature that...