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Introduction: The diet is important in the supply of fatty acids in humans, especially those of the n-3 and n-6 families by its essentiality and related physiological function. It is important to have reference values in accessible biological samples: serum and erythrocyte membranes, in order to alleviate potential shortfalls. The objective is quantifying fatty acids present in these samples from C6 to C26., Material and Methods: the determinations of the fatty acids of 30 healthy children in serum and its corresponding membrane phospholipids from blood cells by lipid extraction, methylation, separation and quantification in gas chromatography with detection of masses have been. It is comparing the values obtained in each serum and its partner of cell membranes., Results and Discussion: It is have obtained normal values in healthy children. The C16, which represent a quarter of all fatty acids, it is in the same proportion in both samples, in the rest of fatty acids, there is no clear correspondence between both values. In the n-6 family, the C18:2n6 is higher in serum against the C20:4n6 which is in the phospholipids. In the same way between the n-3 family, the C20:5n3 is higher in serum and the C22:6n3 is in membrane phospholipids. These values are cause of different processes, recent nutritional contribution to serum and with long-term implications and metabolic values in the phospholipids of membranes., (Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Trans-fatty acids are present in various foods, being the only source of the same in humans. Its presence in high concentrations is a risk factor for health, being involved in a series of events, cardiovascular, inflammatory, etc. Therefore, steps have been taken for its decrease in the diet. The aim is to determine serum and phospholipids of membranes in healthy children and neurological alterations., Material and Methods: It has analyzed the fatty acids trans in 34 healthy children and 374 with various neurological pathologies. Serum and blood cells, making the lipid extraction, samples have been separation of the phospholipids of cells membranes, methylation of fatty acids, separation by gas chromatography and quantification using mass detector. The data have been processed statistically., Results: The distribution of trans fatty acids and their sum is not normally distributed, so its nonparemetric tests were used. The values are higher than in serum phospholipids and membrane with a weak but significant correlation. The tC18: 1 is in a double proportion in children with neurological disorders in healthy children, both in serum and membrane phospholipids, with significant differences., Discussion: The highest proportion of trans-fatty acids in the group of children with neurological disorders is caused no doubt by an increase in intake, due to less adequate food., (Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Short Bowel syndrome is a serious intestinal insufficiency. The most common etiology in adults nowadays is intestinal ischemia and inflammatory disease, while in children the most common are congenital anomalies, volvolus and necrotizing enterocolaitis, which makes the TPN obligatory. However the intestine is intimately related to the liver through the entero-hepatic circulation and different endocrinological entero-hepatic systems. Massive intestinal resections and TPN would alter this relationship, and could change the hepatic tissue composition and its histomorphology. The aim of this work is to know these changes in more detail., Materials and Methods: We used 3 experimental groups: Group A (10 guinea pigs), which was given anesthetic and a simple laparotomy and fed for 10 days with NPT. Group B (10 guinea pigs), underwent total thin intestine resection and were fed for 10 days with NTP. The control group (6 guinea pigs) underwent anesthetic and a simple sham laparotomy and were fed orally. After this period blood and hepatic tissue samples were taken in order to study the liver fat (total fat, proportion of neutral and polar lipids, proportion of phospholipids and fatty acids). Liver biopsies were taken and studied under an optical microscope., Results: The animals from group A and B, underwent NPT, showed a significant increase in glycemie and serum triglycerides, decreasing the cholesterol in GB. There was a significant decrease in weight and in the proportion of fat per g of the liver tissue, at a maximum level in GB, and an even higher decrease in the LP/LN ratio in GA and GB. There was also a change in the proportion of phospholipids, decreasing the Phosphatidilinositol and increasing the Phosphatidiletanolamine. There was also a decrease in the AG w6/w3 ratio. Histologically appear a steatohepatitys, with a striking decrease in the mitochondrial density, being more intensive in GB., Conclusions: NPT alters the composition of the hepatic fat and the hystomorphology of the liver. The short bowel syndrome have more lesional mechanisms, favouring the hepatic damage caused by NPT.

Background & Aims: The partial resection of the intestine could affect the liver through alteration in nutrient absorption, loss of the bile acids via the enterohepatic circulation, alterations in the hepato-duodenobilio-pancreatic hormonal complex as well as a bacterial translocation. All these factors could sum up and induce changes in the tissue composition and in hepatic histomorphology. The aim of this experimental study is to acquire a profound knowledge of these hepatic alterations after the partial intestinal resection. M & M: 26 Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs were used: Group A with only jejunum resection, Group B with only ileum resection, and Group CtrG, the control group. They were monitored for 21 days. At the end, blood samples were taken for serum biochemical analysis. Samples of hepatic tissue were taken for histomorphological optical study. All the rest liver was homogenize and the fat liver composition was analysed (total fat, lipid fractions, phospholipids fractions and fatty acids of the liver)., Results: There was a significant decrease in serum cholesterol in both GA & GB. There was also a decrease of the total fat/g liver tissue, without changes in the phospholipids fraction and decreases in the C18-2/C18-3 and w6/w3 ratios. There was a minimal macrosteatosis and reduction of the number of mitochondries in GB., Conclusions: the partial intestinal resection, specially ileum resections, looks like influence the structural fat liver composition. However, these changes could be compensated for by the liver and oral nutrition. These findings help us to improve the liver-intestinal relationships.

The jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris has potential for commercial exploitation but there is little information on their reproductive biology. This paper seeks to evaluate some biochemical and demographic characteristics of the species. Samples were taken monthly during 2005 and 2006. Jellyfish collected in 2005 were used to describe the characteristics and quantity of oocyte triglycerides and phospholipids with the Sudan black technique, and to ascertain the degree of gonadal development and sex ratio by the hematoxylin-eosin technique. The 2006 jellyfish were used to determine the size at first maturity and protein and total lipids contents. Four stages of development in both sexes were determined, with a continuous gamete development. The highest percentage of mature organisms was recorded in April. The proportion of sexes was 0.7:1.3. We found higher concentrations of triglycerides than phospholipids in the cytoplasm. There was a positive correlation between triglycerides and the diameter of the oocyte. The size at first maturity for both sexes was 105 mm. The highest protein and lipids contents were obtained in April and March respectively.

Objective: To determine the fetal lung maturity in a group of pregnant patients complicated by gestational diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, metabolic controlled patients, as well as to identify the modifications of the phospholipids lung profile by effect of antenatal steroids., Patients and Methods: 231 pregnant patients were included in an observational, longitudinal, clinical and descriptive study from January 1st 2000 to April 30th 2003. All those included presented gestational diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance according to the criteria of Carpenter. The metabolic control was demonstrated by means of glycosylated hemoglobin figures minor to 6.5%, and glucose monitoring (<95 mg/dL before meals and < 120 mg/dL two hours after each meal). The amniocentesis was performed just before the use of antenatal steroids and 48 hours after. The phospholipids lung profile was performed applying the Hallman and Kulovich method., Results: By means of the Student's t-test non significant results were obtained for the general characteristics of both groups, except for the evolution of the phospholipids lung profile in the post-treatment group with antenatal steroids. As for the evolution of the fractions in the profile of the weekly phospholipids, an ANOVA test was applied with a p < 0.001 coefficient of statistical significance for the phosphatidylglycerol fraction., Conclusions: Delay of fetal lung maturity was shown in all the fractions of the phospholipids lung profile. In the group of patients with pregnancies of 36 weeks or more there was shown no correspondence among gestational age and the state of fetal lung maturity (60.75%), in comparison to that reported in existing literature. There were not reported cases of respiratory distress syndrome in the newborns.

Background: A high concentration of arachidonic acid in maternal erythrocytes and trophoblast could have a role in pre term deliveries., Aim: To study the fatty acid composition of long chain fatty acids from erythrocytes of mothers who gave birth to pre term and full term infants., Patients and Methods: Thirty three healthy women that gave birth to healthy newborns in a public hospital were studied. Twenty two had pre term (34 weeks) and 11 full term (40 weeks) deliveries. The fatty acid profile of phospholipids isolated from erythrocytes of these women was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography., Results: Compared to women giving birth to full term infants, phospholipids of women giving birth to pre term infants had a higher content of arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6) and all the species of omega 6 fatty acids. They also had a lower concentration of palmitic and eicosapentanoic (20: 5 omega 3) acids and thus a higher arachidonic acid/eicosapentanoic acid ratio., Conclusions: A high arachidonic acid content in phospholipids of erythrocytes could be a risk factor or predictive marker for pre term deliveries.

The lipid composition of human placenta phospholipids, coming from 9 undernourished women that gave birth to low weight newborns and 9 well nourished women, was analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. Phospholipids of placentas coming from undernourished women, when compared to well nourished women, had significantly lower amounts of w-6 and w-3 fatty acids (40.1 +/- 1.5 vs 42.4 +/- 1.4 and 6.0 +/- 0.7 vs 7.1 +/- 1.3% respectively). The calculated mean melting point was higher in plancetas coming from undernourished women. It these women, the low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and its replacement by short chain fatty acids was not able to balance the high mean melting points. The relative deficiency of essential fatty acids, the low saturation index and the high mean melting point of undernourished women's placental phospholipids, may suggest a lower membrane fluidity and a subnormal essential fatty acid content of fetal organs, that are essential for normal growth and development.

This study was undertaken, to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements containing either soybean oil (19:3w3; ALA), or fish oil (22:6w3; DHA), added to the lactating rat dam diet, on the levels of DHA in brain and erythrocytes of DHA deficient pups. Pregnant rats fed omega 3 deficient diets were divided at parturition into three groups. One group was kept on the same diet fed during pregnancy. The two remaining groups received the above mentioned omega 3 supplements. These feeding regimens were maintained during 18 days. Supplementation of diet with 114 mg DHA/100g diet, increased significantly the concentration of DHA in brain and erythrocytes of the suckling rats. In contrast, the effects of the supplementation with ALA (700 mg/100g diet), were limited to the increase of DHA content in the brain. This increase however, was partial, reaching only 50% of the normal. Results suggest that newborn rat has a limited capacity to convert DHA from ALA, becoming dependent of preformed DHA supply to cover DHA requirements at the cellular level.

This paper examines the amounts of tensoactive phospholipids in the lung tissue of rat fetuses treated with Nitrofen (TOK) and in control animals. The herbicide led to congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in some fetuses and to pulmonary hypoplasia (PH) in all. The amounts of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) per gram of fresh lung tissue were significantly increased in comparison with the control animals, those of phosphatidylserine (PS) and sphingomyelin (SM) were also increased, but not significantly. Fetuses with HP alone had intermediate values. These findings are in agreement with our previous demonstration of an excess of type II pneumocytes in this model, and point to the existence of some trouble of the secretion or release of surfactant in it; although they do no clarify whether the amount of alveolar surfactant is in fact decreased.

Before and 2.6 months after vasectomy the alterations of secretory capacity and physiologic damage of the accessory genital glands, were evaluated by means of chemical analyses of certain constituents of seminal plasma such as free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and phospholipids. The results of these studies showed that the ratio between the concentration of free cholesterol and esterified cholesterol is constant six months after vasectomy and the concentration of phospholipids decreases two months after vasectomy. These results are significant and may be important to know the alterations of secretory capacity of the human genital glands after vasectomy.

The effect of aging on hepatic microsomal membrane phospholipid composition was studied composition was studied in both young (2 months) and mature (6 months) Wistar rats. When total microsomal phospholipid content was analysed the aged group showed a significant increment (73%). Microsomal phospholipid pattern also showed a different behavior between both groups, with a significative increase in phosphatidylcholine (62%), phosphatidylserine (124%), phosphatidylinositol (31%) and sphingomyelin (10%) and appearance of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol in the six-month group. A higher microsomal membrane fluidity in the aged animals was revealed by the increase in PC/EM index (47%). This increment jin fluidity during aging process may reflect an adaptative response resulting in changes on the enzyme activities responsible for drug and carcinogen metabolism.

A number of morphological and functional changes on liver cells were reported during experimental cholestasis. Some specific metabolic pathways catalyzed by "membrane bound" enzymes were described to be altered by lipid microenvironment changes. The purpose of he present study is to establish Bilirubin UDP-Glucuronyltransferase activity--a microsomal integral enzyme responsible for bilirubin conjugation--and microsomal phospholipid profile in cholestatic and normal patients. Surgical liver biopsies were taken fron five patients suffering prolonged extrahepatic cholestasis, and five patients submitted to abdominal surgery excluding hepato-biliary diseases that were considered as controls. The following biochemical parameters were determined in both groups: bilirubin concentration, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, oxalacetic and pyruvic transaminases, and pseudo-cholinesterase activities. Serum cholestatic markers showed significative increments in cholestatic patients (Table 1). Total Bilirubin UDP-Glucuronyltransferase activity was similar comparing normal and cholestatic individuals (1.11 +/- 0.66 and 1.93 +/- 0.82 nmol conjugated bilirubin/mg protein in 10 min. respectively). When final reaction product was analysed, the normal group showed 80% of bilirubin diglucuronide; but resulted undetectable in cholestatic patients yielding 100% of bilirubin monoglucuronide. Microsomal phospholipid analysis showed a decrease in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine contents in the cholestatic group; probably due to the action of bile acids accumulated into the hepatic cells. Simultaneously we found an increment in phosphatidylserine and sphingomyelin levels in cholestatic patients compared to normals (Figure 1). This fact could be explained by the existence of special sites in the membrane for the latter phospholipids, protected against bile acids detersive action.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fatty acid composition of different lipidic fractions was studied in 42 samples of human milk corresponding to: colostrum 10, mature milk 10, milk from mothers of preterm infants with adequate weight for gestational age 10, milk from mothers or low-birth-weight infants 6 and milk inducing prolonged jaundice 6. Findings have been compared with previous data of literature. Nutritional and physiologic implications are discussed.

This paper reviews the most relevant animal-based knowledge in gallstone formation, and its contribution to our improved understanding of the human illness. The importance of diet, age, sex and hormones has been proved in both animals and humans. Nevertheless, there are clear cut differences among species which make general conclusions hard to obtain. Although there is no ideal experimental animal, primates and hamsters seem to be close. Guinea-pigs, rats, mice, rabbits and dogs have been useful in providing key information in certain areas. The paramount importance of alterations in the lipidic composition of bile in lithogenesis is supported by experimental research in animals and has been ratified in humans. Diet is the main mechanism for experimental gallstone formation in animals. Observation of drug-induced lithogenesis in animals has made investigators aware of such phenomenon in humans.

The influence of diet restriction and EFA deficiency during pregnancy in the rat on the lipid and phospholipids composition of the placenta was investigated. Female virgin albino Wistar rats weighing 130 +/- 4 g, were assigned to three equivalent groups. Prior mating and during pregnancy each group of rats received the following regimen: Animals in the Control Group (C) were fed a 25% casein diet in ad libitum quantities; the dietary Restricted Group (D) received the same control diet in amounts calculated to approximate 50% (g/100 g rat) of the intake of group C; the Deficient and Restricted Group (DD) rats were fed a restricted amount of EFA deficient diet. On the 21st day of gestation pregnant animals were sacrificed. The foetuses and placentae obtained by caesarium section were isolated and weighed. A 50% food restriction before and during pregnancy resulted in a significant decrease in phospholipid contents (p less than 0.05); severe EFA deficiency superimposed to 50% food restriction, moreover induced significant changes in the fatty acid pattern of phospholipids, decreasing n3 and n6 fatty acids and increasing eicosatrienoic acid. There was an accumulation of triglycerides in the placenta of rats fed on the EFA deficient diet. In the two restricted groups fetal weight was reduced, but although in the DD group, placental weight was not affected, litter size was dramatically reduced.

The different hepatic lipid fractions of patients suffering choledocholithiasis of cholesterol stones exclusively, have been studied by thin layer chromatography. None of the patients studied had metabolic disorders, were alcohol abusers or obese, or were on any treatment that could alter lipid metabolism. The liver concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides in these patients was greater than in control subjects without choledocholithiasis. The liver concentration of esterified cholesterol and triglycerides was greater in female patients with choledocholithiasis than in males, while some other phospholipid fractions were lower.

The effect of the Thyroid Hormone Triiodothyronine (T3) on composition of Fatty Acid of Mitochondrial Phospholipids is studied. In animals (Gallus domesticus var. Cornis and White Roc.) treated with an injection of T3 containing 0.04 microgram/g body weight, increase length and insaturation increases of the hydrocarbon chains of fatty acids in mitochondrial phospholipids are observed in relation to the corresponding controls. This elongation is maximum at 14 hours after treatment with the hormone. Animals treated with T3 showed a higher proportion of stearic and eicosatrienoic acids than controls. This increase is accompanied by an equivalent decrease of the palmitic and oleic acids, their respective biosynthetic precursors. The highest proportion of long chain and unsatured fatty acids can be observed in phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylcholines.

The prevalence of three different types of antiphospholipid antibody in 88 consecutive patients with systemic lupus were 27.2% for lupus anticoagulant (LAC), 31.8% for anticardiolipin antibody (aCL), and 13.6% for falsely positive serologic tests for syphilis (FPSTS). The three tests were correlated, thus confirming the overlapping specificities of this family of antibodies. Although FPSTS was not associated with any particular manifestation of systemic lupus, aCL correlated with thrombosis (p = 0.0001), thrombopenia (p = 0.009), neuropsychiatric features (p = 0.02) and membranous nephropathy (p = 0.001), while LAC correlated with thrombosis (p = 0.001) and hemolytic anemia (p = 0.04). The previously unreported association between membranous nephropathy and aCL might explain some features of the former, particularly the higher incidence of thromboembolic complications and the poorly known relation with renal vein thrombosis.