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Biomedical subjects

A García

Publications and source records attributed to A García.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiological status of Chagas disease in the endemic area from Region II of Antofagasta].

During 1997 a seroepidemiological study on Chagas' disease was carried out in 18 localities of three provinces (Tocopilla, El Loa and Antofagasta) of Region II (20 degrees 56'-26 degrees South Lat.; 70 degrees 38'-67 degrees West Long.), in order to assess the impact of the control program against Triatoma infestans launched in 1988, based on insecticide spraying of dwellings. By means of ELISA and an indirect hemagglutination test for Chagas' disease blood samples from 1,034 children under 10 years of age were examined, arising a 0.5% (3 cases) positivity. Test resulted positive in 2 (0.9%) children from the locality of San Pedro de Atacama and 1 (0.4%) from Calama city, all in the age group 6-10 year-old. However, none of their dwellings were found infested with T. infestants. These results indicate that the control program has a good possibility to prevent new human infections. It is advisable to continue the seroepidemiological and entomological vigilance and remark the necessity of increasing the effort in the study of transmission through other routes, to adopt or reinforce the pertinent preventive measures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Simultaneous micro-transplantation of fetal mesencephalic cells to the striate and substantia nigra pars reticulata in hemi-parkinsonian rats. A study of behavior].

INTRODUCTION: Microtransplantation of fetal dopaminergic cells has been used over the past ten years with good results in models of Parkinson's disease. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of microtransplantation of fetal dopaminergic cells 'seeded' in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) and striate (St) simultaneously. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The animals received a transplant or microtransplant of cells into the St and SNpr ipsilateral to the lesion in the substantia nigra pars compacta or to both regions. Depending on the site and technique used the following experimental groups were considered: I. Macrotransplantation to the St (n = 20); II. Microtransplant to the St (n = 20); III. Microtransplant to St + SNpr (n = 20); IV. Microtransplant to St + SNpr (n = 20); V. Macrotransplantation to SNpr (n = 20); VI. Microtransplantation to SNpr (n = 20); and VII. Control (lesion only) (n = 20). The rotations induced by D-amphetamine (5 mg/kg i.p.) and by apomorphine were studied 1, 2, 3 and 6 months and 3 and 6 months respectively after transplantation. Three months after transplantation we studied the motor asymmetry shown by the animals by means of the ladder test. RESULTS: The rotations were reduced in the groups with intrastriate transplantation. Comparison between the surgical techniques showed nonsignificant differences between them. The ladder test showed significant differences in use of the limbs in all experimental groups. Use of the left limb was significantly reduced in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Modification of the rotations seems more sensitive to the site of transplant than to the technique used. It seems that the skills studied using the ladder test are not altered by the microtransplant technique.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies in childhood].

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies during childhood is uncommon, since the disorder is still asymptomatic and the clinical features are nonspecific. CLINICAL CASE: We present a case of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies in a seven and a half year old girl with deteriorating clinical findings of 'pies cavos', scoliosis, difficulty in walking and torticollis, but without episodes of paralysis. On the electroneurographic (ENG) study numerous anomalies of sensory and motor nerve conduction were seen, especially at sites of nerve trapping, both in the patient and in her mother; genetic study showed deletions of chromosome 17p11.2 in both. CONCLUSIONS: Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsiesin childhood may follow a course which does not show typical pressure palsies. Therefore the ENG study is very important for detection of the disorder. Torticollis, as well as pies cavos and scoliosis, is frequently seen in neuropaediatric clinics, so the possibility, as in the case reported, that this is part of the clinical spectrum of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies should be considered. With diagnostic confirmation on genetic studies, nerve biopsy is not necessary.

Biopsy↗
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[Temporal evolution of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection in a population cared for in a hospital in Málaga].

BACKGROUND: We have studied the incidence of tuberculosis++ disease, HIV infection and their association during a period of 6 years using samples analysed in a third level hospital laboratory. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 21,242 samples for mycobacteria and 63,425 for HIV antibodies were analysed between 1993 and 1998. The protocol used for mycobacteria consisted of Lowenstein-Jensen, hemoculture, biochemical tests for identification and DNA probe. The diagnosis of HIV was performed using screening with mix EIA HIV 1 + 2, confirmed with Western-blot. Spearman coefficient correlation was used for study of tendency. RESULTS: 1,613 samples (7.5%) positive for mycobacteria from 566 patients (98 females and 428 males) aging between 31 and 40 years (46.9%) were detected. The highest incidence for tuberculosis was observed in 1995 (49.2 x 10(5) and was followed by a decreasing linear tendency. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (96%) and M. bovis (2.7%) were most frequent agents. 2,295 samples (3.6%) showed anti-HIV (406 females and 1,889 males). 54.1% of the infected patients belonged to the age interval 21 to 40 years. The highest incidence was observed in 1994 and was followed by a significant decrease (p < 0.05). The percentage of patients co-infected with tuberculosis-HIV was 39.7% with a maximum in 1995 followed by a linear decrease. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of both infections and co-infection was very high in the first triennium and was followed by a progressive decrease. The decrease of HIV preceded tuberculosis. The result suggest a possible epidemiological correlation between both infections.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Usefulness of the blink reflex in a case of brainstem neuro-Behcet's disease].

INTRODUCTION: Brainstem is the most frequently affected structure in neurobehçet disease. Brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been employed in early diagnosis of the disease. We present here a case of neurobehçet disease which brainstem lesion was suspected by blink reflex and corroborated by MRI. BAER were normal in this case. CLINICAL CASE: The patient was a woman, 49 years old, diagnosed from Behçet's disease. Clinical symptoms consisted of dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting and bilateral tinnitus preceded by fever in the previous days. Neurological examination showed increased tendon reflexes and adiadochokinesis. Cerebrospinal fluid was inflammatory but aseptic. Computerised tomography and BAER were normal. Blink reflex recording showed abnormalities after the stimulation of the right supraorbital nerve in R2 component, ipsilateral and contralateral, the remainder components being normal. This finding was compatible with a lesion in the spinal tract-nucleus of the right trigeminal nerve. Cranial MRI showed several areas of high signal intensity in protuberancial calotte and spinal tract-nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. The patient improved after prednisone and chlorambucil combined therapy. Serial blink reflex studies were normal, while the patient was asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that determination of blink reflex together with BAER may be of help in the evaluation of a more extensive area of the brainstem in neurobehçet's disease, even in absence of trigemino-facial symptomatology. Early diagnosis is important because of neurobehçet's morbi-mortality.

Behcet Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Frequency of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in cats from Valdivia city, Chile].

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis. The importance of the cat as related to this parasitosis lies in the fact that it is not only the definite host of the parasite, but responsible for its dissemination through the release of oocysts, which subsequently infect both humans and other animals. The objective of this study was to determine the serological prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in the feline population of the city of Valdivia (Chile) and to establish the possible epidemiological implications of this prevalence. With these goals in mind the technique of indirect immunofluorescence was implemented to detect anti- T. gondii species--specific IgG. Blood samples from 97 cats (selected using a directed sampling process) from different sectors of Valdivia were collected. The sample included 46 males and 51 females of different ages, Positive and negative control sera obtained from de United States were used to verify the results, observed by UV microscopy. The anti-feline IgG antibody was used as directed by the manufacturer (Sigma). Of the 97 selected cats, 32 were found to be positive with a titre higher than 1:4, a prevalence of 33.0%. The number of infected males as compared to the number of infected females was found to be statistically insignificant, using the chi-square analysis with p less than 0.1. In contrast, a definite correlation between age and seropositivity was found; infection levels were higher in older animals. These results are consistent with those obtained in different studies on this topic that have been performed in different parts of the world. However, they would seem to be in conflict with other, similar studies that have been done recently in Chile; this may be due to the fact that the cats selected for this study were exposed to different climatic conditions than those examined in previous works. In conclusion, it has been determined that in Valdivia exist cats infected by T. gondii, which indicate the presence of the necessary epidemiological conditions for the persistence of this parasitic cycle and the source of infection for humans and other animals.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Can sural nerve biopsy be used to orientate the treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy?].

INTRODUCTION: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an acquired neuropathy characterized by demyelination of the peripheral nerves and roots. The course of the illness is progressively chronic or of relapses and remissions. Biopsy of the sural nerve is not essential for diagnosis. It is therefore not necessary to carry it out on all occasions, but probably permits a more rational approach to treatment. OBJECTIVE: To show whether biopsy of the sural nerve is useful for orientation of the treatment required in cases of CIDP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied a total of 16 patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of CIDP. They had neurophysiological studies, sural nerve biopsy and other studies to rule out other diagnoses. The patients were assigned to the therapeutic protocols recommended. During 8 years of follow up we compared the response to treatment with intacglobin/plamapheresis, steroids and cytostatic drugs. RESULTS: It was highly significant (p< 0.001) that the patients with axon lesions on sural nerve biopsy did not respond to treatment with intac globin/plasmapheresis or steroids but did respond to cyclophosphamide, without any serious adverse effects being seen. CONCLUSIONS: Axonal histopathological lesions of CIDP at the onset of the disease may require cytostatic treatment since they do not usually improve on standard treatment. Sural biopsy is usually invaluable in such cases.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bronchial asthma due to sensitization to chloramine T.

Chloramine T, an organic, highly reactive derivative of chlorine with potent bactericidal properties, is used as a disinfectant in the food industry. Described as an occupational sensitizer in 1945 for the first time, it produces late or dual asthma, occasionally accompanied by fever and leukocytosis, which is mediated by IgE. We present the case of a male dairy worker who, after 4 years of exposure to the product, developed rhinitis and asthma. Skin tests with chloramine T were positive at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, while all other allergens tested negative. RAST detected specific IgE at 12 PRU and bronchial provocation induced immediate and late bronchoconstriction.

Asthma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Nickel content of parenteral nutrition solutions].

Determination of the nickel content in 49 commercial solutions used in parenteral nutrition, by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy in a graphite kiln. Important differences were found between the different components (less than 5 to 23.000 ppb). The largest concentrations of Ni were found in sodium chloride, phosphate salts, 10% calcium chloride and 2M potassium chloride, whereas the aminoacid, glucose and lipid solutions contained the smallest concentrations. The amount of Nickel in the preparations varied depending on the supplier and different salts of the compound itself. The Nickel intake in 2 TPN solutions with high and low concentrations of Ni (827 and 270 micrograms respectively) was also analyzed, and this intake was higher than the estimated amount absorbed in the diet. In the case of the TPN with a high Nickel content, this was higher than the level detected as being the cause of sensitivity reactions in patients sensitive to Nickel.

Amino Acids↗
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Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in refractory rheumatoid arthritis is not a contraindication for reconstructive surgery.

Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCST) is an experimental therapy that may produce prolonged remissions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) resistant to other treatments. Prosthetic articular replacement is often required in severe long-lasting disease. There is a well-founded concern regarding the feasibility and safety of reconstructive surgery after HSCT and as yet no published data on the subject. We report a patient with RA of 9 years' duration resistant to conventional treatments plus femoral head necrosis, who underwent prosthetic hip replacement with no post-surgical complications one year after HSCT, with a sustained response.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Audiometric value of workers exposed to different levels of occupational noise].

We have obtained the information collected in routine clinical examinations of 806 healthy workers. We have studied the threshold hearing levels (audiometries) of our sample. Workers have been classified under three groups of noise exposure--low, medium and high--according with their job and with the activity of the company where they work. We have take into account the influence of factors such as age, use of ototoxic substances (certain antibiotics, tabac, alcohol) or presence of otoscopic irregularities which can affect the hearing levels. In general, hearing losses increase with noise exposure in all the explored frequencies; in the other hand, in the three groups of noise exposure the highest loss is for the 4000 Hz frequency. Losses in left hear are systematically higher than in right hear.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Study of presynaptic nigrostriatal pathway by 123-I-FD-CIT-SPECT (DatSCAN SPECT) in primary orthostatic tremor].

INTRODUCTION: Primary orthostatic tremor (OT) is defined as a clinical syndrome with high frequency (13-18 Hz) tremor when standing predominantly involving legs and trunk. OT is thought to be driven by an unique supraspinal tremor generator. Previous studies suggest that the nigrostriatal dopaminergic transmission is impaired in patients with OT. CLINICAL CASE: All three patients at an age of 56, 45 and 72 years fulfilled the diagnosis criteria of primary OT. The duration of illness amounted to 4, 3 and 1 year, respectively. The three patients had single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using 123-I-FP-CIT as dopamine transporter tracer (DatSCAN). RESULTS: DatSCAN was normal in every patient. CONCLUSIONS: OT is considered to be caused by a central oscillator because high-frequency tremor bursts are time locked in arm, leg, trunk, and even facial muscles and peripheral stimulation does not reset the tremor. Some reports suggest that the central generator may be located in the posterior fossa. In our patients presynaptic nigrostriatal pathway was normal.

Aged↗
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[Predictive validity of the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS)].

INTRODUCTION: We conduct an exploratory factor analysis with the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS) items, to determine its psychometric characteristics and construct validity, as well as we analyze criterion or predictive validity of its clinical subscales in the conversion of high mental risk subjects from prodrome to psychosis in a 1 year follow-up period. METHOD: The subjects were 30 patients referred for evaluation with the Structured Interview of Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS), which includes the SOPS, because of a suspected psychosis prodromal syndrome, a factor analysis with varimax rotation was carried out: Cronbach internal coherence indices were obtained, and predictive validity of the subscales comprising this instrument were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Three first-order factors were found, one of them was a homogeneous component made up of negative symptoms, consistent with previous studies, and higher scores were observed in negative, disorganized and general symptoms in males. Cronbach's alpha indices were 0.880, in the recruitment phase of risk patients, and 0.952 one year later. With an incidence rate of psychosis of 26.67 % in the sample studied, during the 1 year follow-up period, an excellent positive predictive value of the SOPS subscales was found, with negative symptoms having the best specificity (95.5 %) and sensitivity (100 %) indices. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic criteria based on the SIPS/ SOPS make it possible to identify persons at high risk of psychosis, and to make an accurate prediction of medium term psychotic episodes. It is a valid, economical and easy to use instrument in primary health care systems.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The regression of left ventricular hypertrophy following a short antihypertensive treatment].

With the objective of trying to prove the regression of ventricular mass in patients with essential hypertension, with and without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), we studied 42 patients of both sexes with echocardiography, measuring the left ventricular mass (LVM), the mean parietal thickness (MPT) and the relative parietal thickness (RPT), before and after one month of random treatment with atenolol, verapamil and xipamide, independently that the blood pressure control was or not satisfactory. We found significant reductions in the MPT with verapamil and atenolol (p = 0.006 and 0.036), although only verapamil induced a significant reduction of the LVM. The RPT did not shown any significant modification, although the tendency was opposed with xipamide and the other two groups, verapamil and atenolol. The factor Adequate control of the blood pressure, with any of the treatments, proved to be helpful in the favorable evolution of the regression. The degree of LVH before treatment does not appear to have any influence in the posterior evolution with the treatment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Larval density of Anopheles (N) albimanus Wiedemann, 1821 in relation to phenology of Oryza sativa (Linnaeus) rice].

The larval density of Anopheles (N) albimanus Wiedemann, 1821, is linked with rice phenology in the two crops of the year (summer and winter). It was determined that a higher density agrees with the second stage of the vegetative cycle of the culture named beginning of shooting processes and the formation of the panicular primordium. The number of anopheline larvae was higher in the summer.

Animals↗