Biomedical subjects

A A Ortiz

Publications and source records attributed to A A Ortiz.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Coexistence of primary antiphospholipid syndrome and protein S deficiency in a Hispanic man with ischemic stroke.

The primary antiphospholipid syndrome and protein S deficiency are known hypercoagulable states predisposing to ischemic strokes. The pathogenesis of those hypercoagulable states has been independently studied and, recently, interaction between them has been proposed. A 48-year-old Hispanic man had generalized seizures 5 months after the acute onset of a left middle cerebral artery infarct. He had a strong family history of strokes. After evaluation for cardiologic, rheumatologic, hematologic and metabolic etiologies for stroke, anticardiolipin antibodies and protein S deficiency were detected. Cerebral angiography was normal. First degree relatives were evaluated and screened for these conditions. Lupus anticoagulant was detected in a sister who reported a transient hemisensory deficit. None of the relatives studied had clinical or laboratory criteria for collagen vascular diseases. Coexistence of the primary antiphospholipid syndrome and protein S deficiency, two known prothrombotic states, has rarely been reported in Hispanic adults in association with ischemic stroke.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗

PubMed1993

Efficacy of immunization with a combination of serum and recombinant hepatitis B vaccines.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of giving a third dose of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine to healthcare workers who already had received two doses of serum-derived vaccine, which is no longer available in the United States. DESIGN: Volunteers who already had received two standard doses of serum-derived vaccine were given a third dose of either serum or recombinant vaccine in a double-blind fashion. Antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen were measured at the time of the third immunization, three months later, and one year after the third immunization. SETTING: U.S. Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas. PATIENTS: One hundred healthy healthcare workers. RESULTS: Three months after receiving the third immunization, the serum vaccine group had significantly higher titers than the recombinant vaccine group (P = 0.018). One year after receiving the third immunization, those who received the combined regimen had a mean hepatitis B surface antibody titer less than half that of those who received three doses of serum-derived vaccine. However, both regimens resulted in titers that are considered to confer immunity. CONCLUSIONS: A regimen that combines serum and recombinant hepatitis B vaccines may not produce as high an antibody level as three doses of the same vaccine. Those who began immunization with serum vaccine and concluded with recombinant vaccine should be monitored for an accelerated drop in serum antibodies.

Double-Blind Method↗

PubMed1988

RAST-inhibition studies of the imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta with whole body extracts and venom preparations.

Whole body extracts of imported fire ants (IFAWBE) are the only reagents currently available for diagnosis and immunotherapy of patients with anaphylaxis to these Hymenoptera. To characterize better IFAWBE of the species Solenopsis invicta, we evaluated the sera of 29 patients with systemic or large local reactions to imported fire ant (IFA) stings. Forty-eight percent (14/29) of these sting-sensitive patients were IFAWBE RAST positive (greater than or equal to 6% binding of total radioactivity added). With a pool of sera with an initial IFAWBE-RAST value of 16.2% binding, we evaluated RAST inhibition by IFA venom (IFAV), IFAWBE, and the venom component, transpiperidine. Maximum RAST inhibition obtained was 84% with 300 micrograms/ml of IFAV, 95% with 5 mg/ml of protein IFAWBE, and insignificant with undiluted transpiperdine. We conclude that IFAWBE contains large quantities of immunoreactive venom components other than transpiperidine and that the allergenicity of IFAWBE and venom resides in the small amount of protein present in IFAV.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Superiority of Solenopsis invicta venom to whole-body extract in RAST for diagnosis of imported fire ant allergy.

RAST determinations using imported fire ant (IFA) whole-body extract (IFAWBE) and venom (IFAV) were performed with the sera of 29 sting-sensitive patients. Only 48% (14/29) of sera were positive (percent binding greater than or equal to 6%) in RAST to IFAWBE compared with 79% (23/29) positive to IFAV, and there was significantly greater binding to IFAV than to IFAWBE (p less than or equal to 0.0002). Thus, RAST with IFAV identified 31% more sting-sensitive individuals than RAST with IFAWBE, a finding similar to that noted in studies using IFAV and IFAWBE for skin testing. We conclude that IFAV is the more appropriate allergen for use in in vitro tests to detect IFA-specific IgE antibody in allergic patients.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Learning disabilities occurring concomitantly with linguistic differences.

This article discusses characteristics of educational environments that facilitate success for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners, thereby reducing inappropriate referrals to special education, and offers recommendations for adapting referral and assessment processes to better serve CLD students suspected of having learning disabilities. Effective instructional practices are considered, and competencies needed by teachers who serve CLD students with learning disabilities are suggested. Specific attention is given to identifying and serving students with learning disabilities who are also limited English proficient.

Achievement↗