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Spanish to English translations [PRO] Science - Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-) / Parasitology
Spanish term or phrase:macerados de hígado y bazo
phrase in context: "...Los aspirados de médula ósea y los macerados de hígado y bazo de 11 conejos salvajes infectados naturalmente" - translation so far is "The bone marrow aspirates and liver and spleen xxxxx? of 11 wild naturally infected rabbits". I can't seem to find a suitable translation for 'macerados' in this context...
Explanation: From the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary:
"Definition of MACERATE
: a product of macerating : something prepared by maceration <examining the chromosomes in a liver macerate>—compare homogenate "
Thanks to all for your help. I've removed the 'liver and spleen' part of the phrase for glossary purposes, considering Ron's comment. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Thanks very much to all of you for your help and advice - to Liz for pointing out that they are not synonyms, and to Ron for pointing out that one term encompasses the other and that there could be an author error confusing the issue - I'll consult with the authors to see if this is the case. In the meantime I need to grade the question, and I have decided on 'macerates' for the purposes of the proz glossary, because I do agree that this is the most accurate translation of the term. I hasten to point out though that this doesn't mean I disagree with Ron - 'homogenates' will always be right, it remains to be seen if macerates is correct in this context...
Indeed, Ron. I am here to help fellow translators too, otherwise I would not spend so much time doing so. So you are not alone there. Each one of us has to decide the best course of action given the information we have available, and the amount of knowledge we have. I generally don't take it upon myself though to "correct" things in the text, but always bring it to the attention of the client/author. As I said I am a translator.
Same here. I never had a customer who was unhappy with my comments/corrections, even though they don't always agree. I am strongly against blindly translating texts, especially if you know the source text is or may be wrong.
Liz, it so happens that I am an editor, a scientist, and a translator.
I repeat what I said in a previous post: 'homogenates' will always be correct, whether the process involved maceration or not, whereas 'macerates' may be wrong.
Apparently unlike you, I do correct erroneous source texts (if I have the knowledge to judge them) and inform the authors with a translator's note. I offered to help Katherine deciding whether the authors use the word 'macerate' correctly or not. Please let's not forget that we are here to help fellow translators.
As a humble translator, I tend to translate the word in front of me rather than extrapolate and decide what the writer means. Should I have any doubts at all, I always return to the client. I am not an editor or a scientist, but a translator and linguist.
'Macerate' and 'homogenate' are not synonyms but there is an overlap between the two.
Maceration of a tissue will always result in a homogenate, but homogenization of a tissue does not always involve maceration (see some examples in the next discussion entry).
Certain tissues are difficult to homogenize and the preparation of such homogenates often involves maceration. Liver and spleen however are easy to homogenize, and preparation of homogenates of these tissues generally does not involve macaration.
In fact, if I Google
"liver and spleen macerates": I get 2 hits, both referring to the present discussion; but if I Google
"liver and spleen homogenates", I get 8,000+ hits.
This makes me wonder if the authors of the text you are translating used the correct word. That is why I chose 'homogenates' rather than 'macerates': 'homogenates' will always be correct, whether the process involved maceration or not, whereas 'macerates' may be wrong.
If you are hesitant to use 'homogenate', maybe you can post the procedure the authors used to prepare the homogenate/macerate and I can help you decide whether 'macerate' is a correct word to use in the present context.
here is another one showing that the macerates are placed in a homogeniser to become homogenates are the result of macerates...[PDF] Nuevas adiciones al cuniicimientu de la actividad antibiótica de ... - [ Translate this page ]
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
by G De Lara-lsassi - Related articles
gramos de biomasa algal, macerados en un homogenizador. Val. 9 No. Z ' 1999 ... El homogenado se centrifugú a 1 ÜUU g durante 20 minutos. El sobrenadante ...
148.206.53.230/revistasuam/hidrobiologica/include/getdoc.php?id...
[PDF]
Here both are used in the same sentence: BioTechniques Molecular Biology Techniques Forums • View topic ...
3 posts - 3 authors - Last post: 28 Jan 2003
After this we homogenize the macerate with a omni-homogenisator with disposable tips (1 g macerate to 5 ml homogenisation buffer). ...
forums.biotechniques.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=575 - Cached
Explanation: From the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary:
"Definition of MACERATE
: a product of macerating : something prepared by maceration <examining the chromosomes in a liver macerate>—compare homogenate "
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +1
