PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Gomes

Publications and source records attributed to A Gomes.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Adjuvant effects and antiserum action potentiation by a (herbal) compound 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid isolated from the root extract of the Indian medicinal plant 'sarsaparilla' (Hemidesmus indicus R. Br.).

The adjuvant effect and antiserum potentiation of a compound 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid were explored in the present investigation. This compound, isolated and purified from the Indian medicinal plant Hemidesmus indicus R. Br, possessed antisnake venom activity. Rabbits immunized with Vipera russellii venom in the presence and absence of the compound along with Freund's complete adjuvant, produced a precipitating band in immunogel diffusion and immunogel electrophoresis. The venom neutralizing capacity of this antiserum showed positive adjuvant effects as evident by the higher neutralization capacity (lethal and hemorrhage) when compared with the antiserum raised with venom alone. The pure compound potentiated the lethal action neutralization of venom by commercial equine polyvalent snake venom antiserum in experimental models. These observations raised the possibility of the use of chemical antagonists (from herbs) against snake bite, which may provide a better protection in presence of antiserum, especially in the rural parts of India.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1998

Malaria-related maternal mortality in urban Mozambique.

All pregnancy-related maternal deaths that occurred at the central hospital of Maputo during the 5 years between 1989 and 1993 were reviewed. The 239 maternal deaths recorded represented a maternal mortality ratio of 320/100,000 live births. Overall, 15.5% of the deaths were directly attributable to malaria, and 19.7% of the women who died were found to be parasitaemic (with Plasmodium falciparum) prior to death. Autopsies on 161 of the women who died showed histological evidence of malarial infection in the spleens of 44 (27.3%). Many (37.8%) of the malaria-related deaths occurred in adolescent primigravidae, and most were associated with severe anaemia. Pregnancy outcome was generally poor. Unbooked deliveries, and poor antenatal care were identified as risk factors for maternal death from malaria. The current policy of prescribing antimalarials in pregnancy based on symptomatic malaria alone should be reviewed. Improved primary prevention is required in order to reduce the high risk of malaria-related mortality in all pregnant women in the urban study area, especially among adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

How and why public sector doctors engage in private practice in Portuguese-speaking African countries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the type of private practice supplementary income-generating activities of public sector doctors in the Portuguese-speaking African countries, and also to discover the motivations and the reasons why doctors have not made a complete move out of public service. DESIGN: Cross-sectional qualitative survey. SUBJECTS: In 1996, 28 Angolan doctors, 26 from Guinea-Bissau, 11 from Mozambique and three from S Tomé and Principe answered a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: All doctors, except one unemployed, were government employees. Forty-three of the 68 doctors that answered the questionnaire reported an income-generating activity other than the one reported as principal. Of all the activities mentioned, the ones of major economic importance were: public sector medical care, private medical care, commercial activities, agricultural activities and university teaching. The two outstanding reasons why they engage in their various side-activities are 'to meet the cost of living' and 'to support the extended family'. Public sector salaries are supplemented by private practice. Interviewees estimated the time a family could survive on their public sector salary at seven days (median value). The public sector salary still provides most of the interviewees income (median 55%) for the rural doctors, but has become marginal for those in the urban areas (median 10%). For the latter, private practice has become of paramount importance (median 65%). For 26 respondents, the median equivalent of one month's public sector salary could be generated by seven hours of private practice. Nevertheless, being a civil servant was important in terms of job security, and credibility as a doctor. The social contacts and public service gave access to power centres and resources, through which other coping strategies could be developed. The expectations regarding the professional future and regarding the health systems future were related mostly to health personnel issues. CONCLUSION: The variable response rate per question reflects some resistance to discuss some of the issues, particularly those related to income. Nevertheless, these studies may provide an indication of what is happening in professional medical circles in response to the inability of the public sector to sustain a credible system of health care delivery. There can be no doubt that for these doctors the notion of a doctor as a full-time civil-servant is a thing of the past. Switching between public and private is now a fact of life.

Africa↗
PubMed1998

Immediate loading of a single hydroxyapatite-coated threaded root form implant: a clinical report.

The successful results of endosseous root form implants in the treatment of partially and completely edentulous patients has been made possible by the application of standardized surgical and prosthetic protocols. Different techniques have been published in the literature with the purpose of reducing implant prosthetic rehabilitation times. This clinical case report describes a new surgical concept and a technique to fabricate screw-retained provisional crowns for immediate loading of free-standing single tooth implants. Further clinical and histologic studies are necessary in order to promote routine clinical application of this technique.

Bicuspid↗
PubMed1998

Psychosocial consequences of nasal aesthetic and functional surgery: a controlled prospective study in an ENT setting.

Much still needs to be known about what motivates and goes through patients' minds when undergoing nasal aesthetic surgery. Little is also known on how the aesthetic change affects the way other people see those patients after surgery, and if the improved appearance significantly benefits the patients' psychosocial functioning. So far, research has largely focused on subjects in Plastic Surgery settings, neglecting to investigate the specificities of rhinoplasty as performed by otolaryngologists. In order to elucidate these, a prospective controlled-study design was developed. Twenty-five consecutive patients, selected from an ENT practice for septorhinoplasty, were enrolled. They were submitted to pre-operative psychiatric interviews and psychological tests. Two control groups were simultaneously enlisted, and were submitted also to the same tests. Four to seven months after surgery, the septorhinoplasty patients were again evaluated by psychiatric interviews and psychological tests as well as asked to fill out a questionnaire addressing subjective satisfaction with the surgical results. They also underwent, at that time, a rhinomanometric examination assessing the objective success of surgery on nasal function. It was concluded that the study population was basically a psychologically well balanced group of patients, and that a successful surgical result could indeed, in some, improve pre-operative psychological "suffering" related to the nasal deformity, and give these patients a new social identity. Ultimately, it was found that the meeting of aesthetic requirements, frequently not put forward by the patient preoperatively, was the single most important factor required for a final complete satisfaction with the overall surgical results in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

An experimental study on evaluation of chemical antagonists induced snake venom neutralization.

The present investigation explored the snake venom neutralizing capacity of four chemical compounds (2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid, anisic acid, salicylic acid and aspirin) in experimental animals. The venoms of common Indian snakes Viper russellii, Echis carinatus, Naja kaouthia and Ophiophagus hannah were taken to evaluate the lethal, haemorrhagic and defibrinogenation action neutralization. Lethal action of venom was maximum neutralized with 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid and anisic acid, both in in vitro and in vivo studies. Haemorrhagic activity of venom (Viper and Echis) was maximum neutralized with salicylic acid. Viper venom induced defibrination was maximally neutralized with 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid and anisic acid in vitro studies. The exact mechanisms of venom neutralization by the chemical compounds were not established, except for 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzoic acid, where the functional groups, methoxy and hydroxy were partly responsible for the neutralization of the lethal effect and haemorrhagic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Rhinomanometry, sinus CT-scan and allergy testing in the diagnostic assessment of chronic nasal obstruction.

In order to assess how effective a combination of diagnostic methods, each addressing specific aetiopathogenic aspects, would be in uncovering the cause of common chronic nasal obstruction, we evaluated 45 consecutive adult subjects. They were submitted to rhinomanometry testing, sinus CT-scans and RASTs to prevalent allergens. Most, but not all, patients ended up showing abnormal results in at least one of the diagnostic procedures. Sinus pathology was, by far, the most frequent diagnosis, while allergy took second place, with a number of atopic subjects displaying sinusitis as well. On the other hand, septal deviations with a significant effect on nasal resistance were only seldom found to be the cause of chronic nasal obstruction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Antiinflammatory effect of petroleum ether extract of leaves of Litchi chinensis Gaertn. (Sapindaceae).

Pharmacological studies were conducted with the petroleum ether extract of leaves of the plant Litchi chinensis Gaertn. (Sapindaceae) on experimental animals. The extract was found to possess antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity. Acute toxicity studies revealed that the extract, up to a dose of 1 g/kg intraperitoneally, was nontoxic. The extract did not inhibit arachidonic acid-induced paw inflammation thus indicating that it may inhibit the cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. The extract also enhanced peritoneal cell exudate along with macrophage significantly.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1996

Intravenous amiodarone for recurrent sustained hypotensive ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Intravenous Amiodarone Multicenter Trial Group.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the response rate and safety of intravenous amiodarone in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to standard therapies. BACKGROUND: Numerous small retrospective reports suggest a response of refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias to intravenous amiodarone, yet no controlled prospective trials exist. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-three patients with recurrent hypotensive ventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to lidocaine, procainamide and bretylium were randomized to receive one of three doses of intravenous amiodarone: 525, 1,050 or 2,100 mg/24 h (mean [+/- SE] dose 743.7 +/- 418.7, 1,175.2 +/- 483.7, 1,921.2 +/- 688.8 mg, respectively) by continuous infusion over 24 h. RESULTS: Of the 273 patients, 110 (40.3% response rate) survived 24 h without another hypotensive ventricular tachyarrhythmic event while being treated with intravenous amiodarone as a single agent (primary end point). A significant difference in the time to first recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (post hoc analysis) over the first 12 h was observed when the combined 1,050- and 2,100-mg dose groups were compared with the 525-mg dose group (p = 0.046). The number of supplemental (150 mg) infusions of intravenous amiodarone (given for breakthrough destabilizing tachyarrhythmias) during hours 0 to 6 (prespecified secondary end point) was significantly greater in the 525-mg dose group than in the 2,100-mg dose group (1.09 +/- 1.57 vs. 0.51 +/- 0.97, p = 0.0043). However, there was no clear dose-response relation observed in this trial with respect to success rates (primary end point), time to first recurrence of tachyarrhythmia (post hoc analysis) or mortality (secondary end point) over 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous amiodarone is a relatively safe therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias refractory to other medications.

Amiodarone↗
PubMed1996

A lethal cardiotoxic protein isolated from Bidder's organ of common Indian toad, Bufo melanostictus Schneider.

A lethal cardiotoxic (BO-CT; Bidder's organ cardiotoxin) protein was purified from the Bidder's organ of the common Indian toad B. melanostictus by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The homogeneity of cardiotoxin was tested by gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of lethal BO-CT was 62 KDa and was devoid of glycoprotein. LD50 of the BO-CT was 50 micrograms/20 g (i.v.) in male albino mice. On isolated heart and auricle BO-CT initially increased the rate and amplitude of contraction and finally produced irreversible blockade of contraction. BO-CT induced auricular blockade, was not influenced by verapamil, propranolol and atropine. On isolated chick biventer cervicis preparation BO-CT produced irreversible blockade of electrically induced twitch response followed by contracture. This action was not antagonized by 4-aminopyridine and neostigmine. BO-CT induced contracture on chick biventer cervicis was increased by Ca2+, decreased by Na+ and abolished by K+. Cardiotoxic and neuromuscular activity of BO-CT was heat stable and abolished by proteolytic enzyme.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts: impact on liver transplantation.

This study was designed to evaluate the impact of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) on liver transplantation. Historically, the complications of portal hypertension have been temporized with sclerotherapy or surgical portosystemic shunts. In patients whose liver disease progressed, liver transplantation has been used as definitive treatment. More recently, TIPS is being used increasingly for the management of the complications of portal hypertension. The impact of this new modality on liver transplantation is evaluated. The records of 135 adult patients undergoing liver transplantation at University of California at Los Angeles between October 1992 and June 1993 were reviewed. Twenty-three patients had received at least one shunt before transplantation. The TIPS procedure complicated the operative course of 5 patients (22%). In 2 patients the TIPS had been placed cephalad, making placement of the suprahepatic vena caval clamp difficult. In 2 other patients, the shunt had been placed caudad, extending in the extrahepatic portal vein. In all 4 of these patients, the intima had been damaged at the area of the subsequent anastomosis. In the fifth patient, the bile duct had been perforated during the placement of the shunt, causing diffuse bile peritonitis, which was sterile, and the transplantation was performed. The average intraoperative blood loss for these 5 patients was 13 U. There was no significant decrease in intraoperative blood loss for all patients with a TIPS when compared with 112 adults who underwent liver transplantation during the same period (11 U v 10.5 U). The TIPS stent did not improve objective intraoperative parameters as compared with liver transplant recipients without TIPS. The indications for TIPS must be carefully weighed against the potential risks of increasing the technical difficulty of the transplantation and jeopardizing the candidacy of some liver transplantation candidates. Liver transplantation is not facilitated by TIPS insertion and therefore should not be used to justify TIPS placement.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A lethal protein toxin (toxin-PC) from the Indian catfish (Plotosus canius, Hamilton) venom.

Isolation and purification of a lethal protein toxin from the Indian catfish Plotosus canius, Hamilton, venom is described. The purification procedure involved ammonium sulfate precipitate of crude venom followed by DEAE-ion exchange chromatography. The purified toxin (toxin-PC) was homogeneous on one-dimensional PAGE and PAS-negative, and had a molecular weight 15 Kd. Toxin-PC was lethal (LD50 225 micrograms/kg, intravenous, in mice) and cardiotoxic, having neuromuscular blocking activity. Toxin-PC produced cardiac arrest on isolated toad and guinea pig hearts. Prior administration of atropine and propanolol failed to counteract toxin activity on isolated heart preparations. On isolated chick biventer cervicis, toxin-PC produced total blockage of electrically-induced twitch response without affecting carbachol- and acetylcholine-induced contraction. The tension developed by the muscle was Ca++ ion-dependent. Neuromuscular blocking time was reduced when K+ ion concentration was increased in the medium. Antiserum raised against toxin-PC failed to antagonize lethal activity of toxin-PC in mice. Toxin-PC probably represents a major toxic component of catfish venom (P. canius), and was responsible for the pathophysiological changes.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1995

Anti-hyperglycemic effect of black tea (Camellia sinensis) in rat.

Investigations were carried out to evaluate the effect of the hot water extract of black tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. The extract significantly reduced the blood glucose level and was found to possess both preventive and curative effects on experimentally produced diabetes in rats. The study reveals that, like green tea, black tea also possesses antidiabetic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Isolation, purification and partial characterization of viper venom inhibiting factor from the root extract of the Indian medicinal plant sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus R. Br.).

An organic acid, isolated and purified from the root extract of an Indian medicinal plant sarsaparilla Hemidesmus indicus R. Br, possessed viper venom inhibitory activity. The compound (designated HI-RVIF) was isolated by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography and thin layer chromatography, and was homogeneous in nature. The white needle-shaped crystals were soluble in water, methanol and chloroform and had a melting point of 155-158 degrees C and lambda max 260 nm. Spectral analysis confirmed the presence of a benzene ring, methoxy group, and hydroxyl group; the mol. wt of the compound was 168. HI-RVIF significantly antagonized viper venom-induced lethal, haemorrhagic, coagulant and anticoagulant activity in experimental rodents.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Sequential clinical comparison between two commercially available rhinomanometers.

To assess nasal resistance in the treated as well as decongested states, two custom-built rhinomanometers (Rhino-Comp, manufactured by Cintec, Sweden, and Rhinomanometer 200, manufactured by Atmos, Germany) were sequentially employed in 53 non-selected consecutive patients referred for chronic or recurring nasal obstruction complaints, using the same active anterior rhinomanometric method. Final mean results from both equipments were submitted to paired statistical analysis. No correlation was found between the R150 results provided by the two rhinomanometers, albeit a 1.26 to 1.30 difference was encountered in the Rhinomanometer 200/Rhino-Comp ratio when the averaged mean values of all R150 results from both equipments were compared, suggesting that the discrepancy could be due to technical specificities intrinsic to each apparatus, with a tendency to produce systematic R150 differences. When the graphic aspect of the curves from both equipments were compared using the Broms system parameter V2 values, a remarkable correlation was seen between Rhino-Comp and Rhinomanometer 200 in expiratory (but not inspiratory) results, suggesting that the expiratory curves produced by the two equipments are graphically similar, at least until the Broms system radius 2 interception. Enough data was also found to support the possibility that the manufacturer's option to use a nose adaptor instead of adhesive tape for anterior nares occlusion with the Rhinomanometer 200 equipment could interfere with nasal vestibular function and thus artificially affect resistance measurements. Finally, patients' preference for either equipment examination procedures are discussed.

Adolescent↗