PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Bermudez

Publications and source records attributed to A Bermudez.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Neural sarcocystosis in a straw-necked ibis (Carphibis spinicollis) associated with a Sarcocystis neurona-like organism and description of muscular sarcocysts of an unidentified Sarcocystis species.

A Sarcocystis neurona-like parasite was associated with acute sarcocystosis in the brain of an ibis (Carphibis spinicollis). Numerous schizonts and merozoites were found extravascularly in encephalitic lesions. These schizonts reacted positively with anti-S. neurona and anti-S. falcatula polyclonal antibodies in an immunohistochemical test. Sarcocysts of an unidentified Sarcocystis species were present in the brain, heart, and skeletal muscles. Sarcocysts in skeletal muscles were microscopic, and the sarcocyst wall was up to 3 microm thick. The villar protrusions on the sarcocyst wall were up to 4.5 microm long, constricted at the base, and expanded laterally. Schizonts and sarcocysts distinct from those of S. falcatula.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Papillary cystic tumor of the pancreas coexisting with hairy cell leukemia.

The coexistence of a pancreatic papillary cystic tumor with hairy cell leukemia is reported. To the best of our knowledge this association has never been published. A 41-year-old man diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia developed a second malignancy that corresponded to a papillary cystic pancreatic tumor. The patient underwent splenectomy and a tumoral surgical resection, and is currently well at 21 months follow-up. A pathogenetic relationship between the two malignancies was not demonstrated. Hairy cell leukemia has been reported to be associated to a great number of different second malignancies. In contrast, only two papillary cystic tumors of the pancreas have been described associated to a second neoplasm, a papillary thyroid carcinoma and a colonic carcinoma. This unusual benign or low-grade malignant pancreatic tumor more commonly occurs in the tail of the pancreas of young women. We want to stress the unusual presentation of this pancreatic tumor affecting the head of the gland in a male patient as well as its coexistence with a hairy cell leukemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Insulin-like growth factor-I, but not growth hormone, is dependent on a high protein intake to increase nitrogen balance in the rat.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of dietary protein level on the protein anabolic effects of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Female growing rats were fed on either a high- or a low-protein diet with crude protein contents of 222 and 83 g/kg respectively. The diets contained the same amount of metabolizable energy (15.1 MJ/kg) and were given during a 14 d period. During the same time, three groups of rats (n 8) on each diet received subcutaneous infusions of either saline, recombinant human GH (rhGH) or recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I). rhGH and rhIGF-I were given in doses of 360 and 500 micrograms/d respectively. The low-protein diet alone reduced significantly (P < 0.05) IGF-I concentrations in serum and in tissue taken from the gastrocnemius muscle as well as IGF-I mRNA from the same muscle. The responses to rhGH and rhIGF-I in terms of muscle IGF-I and its mRNA were variable. However, when rhIGF-I was infused into rats on the high-protein diet, significantly elevated levels of IGF-I in muscle tissues could be observed. This was associated with a significantly (P < 0.05) increased N balance, whereas rhGH significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the N balance in rats on the low-protein diet. Thus, it can be concluded that the level of dietary protein ingested regulates not only the effect of IGF-I on whole-body N economy but also the regulation of IGF-I gene expression in muscles. The exact mechanism by which GH exerts its protein anabolic effect, however, remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical hysterectomy and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix uteri: long-term follow-up of a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine if ACH given after NCH followed by RH could decrease the incidence of distant metastases in patients with locally advanced carcinoma of cervix uteri. MATERIAL: 56 pts (34 Ib, 18 IIb, 4 IIIb) with confirmed diagnosis of squamous cervical cancer were enrolled in this phase II trial. The methodology used was: 1) Figo clinical staging; 2) Ultrasonographic determination of tumor volume in < or > 4 cms; 3) V.B.P. scheme: cis-platinum 50 mg/m2/day 1; vincristine 1 mg/m2/day 1; bleomycin 25 mg/m2/days 1-2-3 (3 courses with 10 days interval); 4) Clinical and sonographic tumor response evaluation following U.I.C.C. response criteria; 5) Radical hysterectomy; 6) Pathological risk factor evaluation; 7) ACH with P.M.C. (cis-platinum 50 mg/m2, methotrexate 30 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2) 3 courses every 21 days; 8) Comparison and location of recurrences with a neoadjuvant group (NCH + RH + RT to whole pelvis), and with a control group treated with conventional radiotherapy were done. For statistical analysis the Chi-Square was used and D.F.S. and overall survival (O.S.) were calculated according to the Kaplan Meier and Log Rank Test. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 75 months (range 42-108), O. S. for stage Ib was 88%, Stage IIb 78%, and 50% for IIIb. The recurrences were 12% (4/34) for Stage Ib (3 local and 1 distant); 28% for IIb (5/18) (4 pelvic and 1 distant); 50% (2/4) for IIIb (2 pelvic recurrences). When residual tumor volume was < 2 cm in the surgical specimen (n=39) there were 4 recurrences (3 pelvic and 1 distant), and 7 (6 pelvic and 1 distant) for tumors > 2 cm. (p<0.01 for pelvic recurrences). For the stage Ib with residual tumor <2 cm (n=14) there were no pelvic recurrences and only 1 distant. Comparing for Stage Ib with previous tumor volume >4 cm of the ACH Group (n=17) with a classical NCH (n=51) and control (n=51) groups, there were observed 2 (11.7%) pelvic and 1 (5,8%) distant relapses for the 1st Group, 3 (5.9%) pelvic and 3 (5.9%) distant relapses for the 2nd, and 11 (21.6%) pelvic and 5 (9.8%) distant relapses for the 3rd Group. From the comparison of locally advanced tumors (Stages IIb + IIIb) of ACH group (n=22), with a Stage IIIb surgically removed of classical NCH group (n=38) and with a control group of conventional RT (n=51), there were observed 6 (27%) pelvic and 1 (4.5%) distant relapses for the 1st Group, 4 (11%) pelvic and 7 (18.4%) distant relapses for the 2nd, and 31 (60.7%) pelvic and 5 (9.8%) distant for the 3rd one. CONCLUSION: ACH after NCH + RH could be used for stage Ib with tumor volume > 4 cm, with complete clinical response or residual tumor < 2 cm. The results of this group of tumors suggest the importance of going on phase III trials comparing NCH+RH alone vs. NCH+RH+ACH. ACH could also be used to try to obtain better control of distant metastases in Stages IIb and IIIb. In these cases radiotherapy to the whole pelvis must not be excluded.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Long-term follow-up of the first randomized trial using neoadjuvant chemotherapy in stage Ib squamous carcinoma of the cervix: the final results.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if three courses consisting of 50 mg/m2 cis-platinum, 1 mg/m2 vincristine, and 25 mg/m2 bleomycin (day 1-3) at 10-day intervals can improve survival before Wertheim-Meigs + radiotherapy. MATERIAL: Two hundred five unselected stage Ib patients (having tumors > 2 cm in diameter) were divided into two groups at random: (1) The group control consisted of 103 patients (56 bulky, > 4 cm diameter) treated with Wertheim-Meigs (if the tumor was resectable with free surgical margins) + adjuvant radiotherapy to whole pelvis (extended field radiation was used only in patients with paraaortic lymph node metastases). When the tumor was unresectable, a surgical staging was performed and radiotherapy was the chosen treatment. (2) Neoadjuvant (102 patients, 61 bulky) had neoadjuvant chemotherapy and then the same treatment as the control patients. RESULTS: After 67 (31-102) months of follow-up, no difference was seen in tumors > 2 and < 4 cm in both groups (C = 77% vs N = 82%), but statistically significant differences were seen in survival and disease-free survival, in bulky tumors, and between patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy + Wertheim-Meigs + radiotherapy (80%) and the control (61%). This was due to an increased operability that was substantially improved in bulky tumors in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (61/61, 100%) vs control (48/56, 85%; P < 0.01). After 7 years of follow-up, the outcome of the unresectable bulky control group of patients is significantly worse (14%) than that of the resectable group (69%; P < 0.001). With regard to recurrences, a significant decrease in pelvic failures in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group was observed (P < 0.001). Survival was improved in bulky resectable cases (N = 81% vs C = 69%, P < 0.05). Pathological findings for the surgical specimens revealed differences between both groups because all the risk factors such as parametrial and lymph node metastases, tumor bulk, and vascular embolism had been decreased (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can improve survival because of increased operability with free survival margins and a decrease in pathologic risk factors in unselected, bulky (> 4 cm diameter) stage Ib patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of aceclofenac with piroxicam in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

A multicentre, double-blind, randomised, parallel group study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy and safety of aceclofenac (123 patients, 100 mg twice daily) in comparison to piroxicam (117 patients, 20 mg once daily and placebo once daily) in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. The treatment period of two months was preceded by a washout period of one week duration. On completion of the study, patients in both aceclofenac and piroxicam-treated groups exhibited significant improvement in pain intensity and functional capacity of the affected knee, as represented by the Osteoarthritis Severity Index (OSI) (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001 respectively). This was further substantiated following the patient's assessment of pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), in which significant improvements were demonstrated at all time points for each treatment group (p < 0.001). Although both treatment groups showed a significant improvement in all investigator's clinical assessments (functional exploration of the knee, knee flexion and extension (EXT)), there were no significant differences between the groups. There was, however, a more rapid improvement in knee flexion in the aceclofenac group after 15 days of treatment. Both aceclofenac and piroxicam were well tolerated by patients, the most commonly reported adverse events being gastrointestinal, although their incidence was low. Only 24 patients on aceclofenac, as opposed to 33 on piroxicam complained of dyspepsia, epigastralgia and pyrosis. While 7 patients in each group were withdrawn because of adverse events, only one patient with piroxicam was withdrawn because of severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Twice as many reports of fecal blood loss were made in the piroxicam group in comparison to the aceclofenac group. In summary, this study confirms the therapeutic efficacy of aceclofenac and suggests that it is a well-tolerated alternative NSAID to piroxicam in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Direct blotting, sequencing and immunodetection of proteins after five-minute staining of SDS and SDS-treated IEF gels with Nile red.

The non-covalent dye Nile red allows the fast and simple fluorescent staining of protein bands in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels. This procedure has been extended to polyacrylamide isoelectric focusing gels that do not contain SDS. Unlike the current methods using Coomassie blue or silver for gel staining, Nile red staining does not preclude the direct electroblotting of protein bands onto polyvinylidene difluoride membranes, and the transferred proteins can be used directly for immunoblotting analysis and for N-terminal microsequencing.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMed1985

Optic aphasia, optic apraxia, and loss of dreaming.

A 47-year-old man with a left temporo-occipital infarct in the area of the posterior cerebral artery is presented. The neuropsychological examination did not reveal aphasia or gross mental deficits. The patient presented with alexia without agraphia, color agnosia, but few visual perceptual deficits. The main impairment was in confrontation naming; he was incapable of naming objects and pictures, not from lack of recognition (excluding visual agnosia) but from lack of access to the appropriate word (optic aphasia). The patient also exhibited a deficit in the evocation of gesture from the visual presentation of an object (optic apraxia) and a difficulty in "conjuring up" visual images of objects (impaired visual imagery) and loss of dreams. The fundamental deficit of this patient is tentatively explained in terms of visuoverbal and visuogestural disconnection and a deficit of mental imagery.

Aphasia↗
PubMed1982

Use of cerebellar brain smears in the diagnosis of babesiosis (Babesia bovis) in cattle.

Cerebral and cerebellar smears were made from 4 animals acutely reacting to Babesia bovis and 94 animals free from clinical babesiosis. The brain smears were stained by the Giemsa method and examined for the presence of B. bovis parasites. In animals showing clinical babesiosis capillaries congested with parasitised erythrocytes were abundant in cerebral and cerebellar smears. Results obtained from both types of brain smears in animals free from clinical babesiosis agreed closely (83% conformity) as to the presence or absence of parasites. A third group of 39 animals from which cerebral and cerebellar smears were taken was also examined serologically by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT); about 69% of the IFAT positive and doubtful animals showed parasites in the cerebellar brain smears. The existence of false negatives in the IFAT test has been shown and discussed. It has been concluded that cerebellar samples obtained through the foramen occipitale can be used for the microscopic detection of B. bovis parasites in latently infected bovines. This method can also be used in field cases suspected of cerebral babesiosis permitting brain sampling without resorting to the opening of the skull. Such an approach might prove particularly useful in areas where rabies occurs and the animal's head has to be sent to a diagnostic centre.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

A case of apparent suppression of Anaplasma marginale infection by eperythrozoonosis (Eperythrozoon teganodes).

The apparent suppression of Anaplasma marginale infection by Eperythrozoon teganodes in a splenectomized calf has been reported. A splenectomized calf, inoculated with 500 ml of blood having 23% erythrocytes infected with A. marginale, developed eperythrozoonosis on the fourth day post inoculation. A. marginale parasitaemia remained very low during the patent eperythrozoonosis. A. marginale parasites started to increase in number only after E. teganodes infection had been controlled with neoarsphenamine. A splenectomized calf treated identically, but not showing E. teganodes parasites in the peripheral blood, developed clinical anaplasmosis and fulminant parasitaemia within 3-4 days post inoculation.

Anaplasmataceae Infections↗
PubMed1975

Simultaneous (combined) operation for glaucoma with cataract.

Henceforth we mention the observations of one of the authors (E.G.) which were made in 1949 and published in 1956. The author recommends iridectomy of one pillar, intracapsular extraction of the cataract and iridenclesis of the other pillar for the treatment of cases with glaucoma together with cataract. Between the years 1968 and 1976 in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Hospital Universitario de Caracas, 966 cataract extractions were performed; within these, 84 were performed in glaucomatous eyes. In 17 cases the procedure that is used today was performed: iridectomy of one pillar, sphincterotomy, intracapsular extraction and iridencleisis of the other pillar. In other cases, other procedures were used. From our observations we consider that this technique is the most recommended in cases of glaucoma together with cataract.

Cataract↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Favorable clinical behavior in young ovarian carcinoma patients: a rationale for conservative surgery?

The objective of this study was to analyze prognostic factors and epidemiologic data in young women with invasive epithelial cancer (YWEOC). Forty consecutive cases were selected from our database, treated according to current standards. A control group with older patients (>40 years) was created using concurrent cohort technique (n= 114). Median follow-up was 95 months in YWEOC and 84 months in elder patients. They were grouped by FIGO stages, histologic type, and tumor grade. Oncologic family history was compared in both cohorts. Survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Chi-square, log rank test, uni- and multivariate analyses were used for statistical comparison. Family history was obtained in 25 of 40 of YWEOC, and 7 had first-line relatives with hematologic tumors, while this was observed in 1 of 80 of the elder patients (OR 9.8; 1.2-74.7). Due to these findings, a <40-years control healthy group selected from the gynecology office was rated and when compared with YWEOC, statistically significant differences were observed (OR 39.2; 4.5-338). Tumors were more differentiated, compared to the elder group (G(1): 68% vs 7%, P < 0.0001); stage I was more frequent (70% vs 19%, P < 0.0001) as well as mucinous and endometroid histologic types (P < 0.03). Survival was higher among younger patients (81% vs 35%, P < 0.0001) and decreased by decade, especially after 41 years. In advanced cases, optimal cytoreduction was more frequently performed, and survival was significantly higher. Multivariate analysis revealed that the only independent prognostic factor was residual disease in both groups. Age is not an independent prognostic factor for ovarian cancer but it has a different biologic behavior. An interesting association with hematologic tumors was observed, suggesting another pathway for ovarian cancer oncogenesis.

Adult↗