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Biomedical subjects

A Pinna

Publications and source records attributed to A Pinna.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Identification and antibiotic susceptibility of coagulase negative staphylococci isolated in corneal/external infections.

AIMS: To identify and determine antibiotic susceptibility of coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) isolated from patients with chronic blepharitis, purulent conjunctivitis, and suppurative keratitis. METHODS: A retrospective review of all culture positive cases of chronic blepharitis, purulent conjunctivitis, and suppurative keratitis between July 1995 and December 1996 was performed. Cases in which CoNS were the sole isolates were analysed. Species identification was performed by using a commercially available standardised biochemical test system. Antibiotic susceptibility to penicillin, gentamicin, tetracycline, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and teicoplanin was determined by agar disc diffusion (Kirby-Bauer method). Teicoplanin resistance was confirmed by agar dilution. RESULTS: 42 Staphylococcus epidermidis, four S warneri, three S capitis, two S hominis, one each of S xylosus, S simulans, S equorum, and S lugdunensis were identified. 37 CoNS were penicillin resistant, 12 gentamicin resistant, 28 tetracycline resistant, 18 erythromycin resistant, four ciprofloxacin resistant, and one teicoplanin resistant (MIC, 32 microg/ml). In total, 16 strains were resistant to three or more antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Species of CoNS apart from S epidermidis may be isolated from patients with corneal and external infection. Antibiotic susceptibility of CoNS is unpredictable and multiresistant strains are common. As a result, antibiotic susceptibility testing should be performed in all cases of clinically significant ocular infections caused by CoNS.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1998

Dopamine-dependent behavioural stimulation by non-peptide delta opioids BW 373U86 and SNC 80: 3. Facilitation of D1 and D2 responses in unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats.

In unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats the ability of two non-peptide delta-opioid agonists, BW 373U86 and SNC 80, to induce motor asymmetries, alone or in combination with low doses of specific D1 or D2 agonists, was investigated. BW 373U86 and SNC 80 failed to induce motor asymmetries by themselves, but elicited contralateral turning after pretreatment with a dose of SKF 38393, a D1 agonist, or quinpirole, a D2 agonist, which per se did not induce contralateral turning. BW 373U86 also potentiated contralateral turning induced by threshold doses of quinpirole. Facilitation of D1-dependent contralateral turning was associated with a potentiation of c-fos expression, as estimated by Fos-like immunoreactivity, in the dorsal caudate-putamen, particularly in its lateral aspect. Potentiation of D2-dependent contralateral turning was associated with a reduction of c-fos expression in the medial caudate-putamen. It is concluded that stimulation of delta-opioid receptors facilitates the expression of D1 and D2 responses arising from the denervated striatum.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1997

Infectivity of hepatic allografts with antibodies to hepatitis B virus.

BACKGROUND: Since suitable recipients for hepatic allografts from donors with antibodies to hepatitis B virus (HBV) have not been determined, a review of our 7-year experience with donors positive for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), or both was undertaken. METHODS: Recipients of hepatic allografts from donors with antibodies to HBV were identified by a retrospective review of procurement records and screened for HBV infection. RESULTS: From January 1, 1990, to January 1, 1997, 2578 liver transplants were performed and 140 (5.4%) recipients received an allograft from a donor with antibodies to HBV. Twenty-five of 48 recipients of a hepatic allograft from a donor positive only for anti-HBs were screened and none developed HBV infection. Twenty-five of 41 naive recipients of a hepatic allograft from an anti-HBc positive donor were screened and 18/25 (72%) developed HBV infection. Four of these 18 naive recipients with HBV infection received an allograft from a donor positive for both anti-HBc and anti-HBs. Seven of 13 anti-HBs-positive recipients of an allograft from an anti-HBc-positive donor were screened and none developed HBV infection. Fifteen of 16 recipients positive only for anti-HBc who received a hepatic allograft from an anti-HBc-positive donor were screened and 2/15 (13%) developed HBV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic allografts from donors positive only for anti-HBs do not transmit HBV infection. Hepatic allografts from anti-HBc-positive donors frequently transmit HBV infection to naive recipients regardless of the donor anti-HBs status, and antiviral prophylaxis may be indicated. Anti-HBs-positive recipients appear resistant to HBV infection after orthotopic liver transplantation with an allograft from an anti-HBc-positive donor. Recipients positive only for anti-HBc infrequently develop HBV infection when transplanted with an allograft from an anti-HBc-positive donor; however, HBV prophylaxis may be justified.

Hepatitis B↗
PubMed1997

Priming of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats with L-DOPA or quinpirole results in an increase in dopamine D1 receptor-dependent cyclic AMP production in striatal tissue.

Priming with a dopamine agonist greatly enhances the behavioral effectiveness of dopamine D1 receptor agonists in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway. The present study investigated the influence of priming on cyclic AMP production in striatal slices. Stimulation of dopamine D1 receptors with dopamine or the dopamine D1 receptor agonist, 1-phenyl-6-Cl-7,8-diol-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazepine (SKF 81297), increased cyclic AMP production in the lesioned striatum of rats primed with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) by 329% and 405%, respectively, whereas in drug-naive rats the increase was 183% and 187%, respectively. Priming with quinpirole produced similar results. It is suggested that priming with either L-DOPA or a dopamine D2 receptor agonist results in increased effectiveness of dopamine D1 signal transduction, apparently not only related to previous stimulation of D1 receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Adenosine A2A receptor agonists increase Fos-like immunoreactivity in mesolimbic areas.

Expression of the early-gene c-fos is an useful method for studying potential sites of action of drugs active in the CNS. Stimulation of adenosine A2A receptors by CGS 21680 (5 mg/kg) induced an increase in Fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat nucleus accumbens shell, while in the rostral pole and core CGS 21680 induced Fos-like immunoreactivity only after a high dose. CGS 21680 (5 mg/kg) stimulated c-fos expression also in the lateral septal nucleus and dorso-medial striatum, but not in the dorso-lateral striatum. A similar pattern of Fos-like immunoreactivity was obtained after administration of the A2A agonist HENECA (5 mg/kg) which displays higher selectivity for A2A receptors than CGS 21680. Administration of the selective A2A antagonist SCH 58261 counteracted CGS 21680-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity. Lesions of the dopaminergic mesostriatal projection by 6-hydroxydopamine and stimulation of dopamine D2/D3 receptors by quinpirole, prevented CGS 21680-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens shell. The present results show that stimulation of A2A receptors induces a profile of c-fos expression similar to that of atypical neuroleptics. A2A receptor stimulation has been reported to have dopamine antagonistic actions, it is therefore suggested that A2A agonists might have antipsychotic activity without producing extrapyramidal side effects.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1997

Peripheral blood stem cell and bone marrow transplantation for solid tumors and lymphomas: hematologic recovery and costs. A randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation has an advantage over autologous bone marrow transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To compare the hematologic recovery and costs associated with PBSC transplantation with those associated with autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy for solid tumors or lymphomas. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial. SETTING: French Federation of Cancer Centers, located in cancer facilities or public hospitals with transplantation units. PATIENTS: Children and adults with solid tumors or lymphomas who were candidates for high-dose chemotherapy. INTERVENTIONS: Bone marrow or filgrastim-mobilized PBSCs. MEASUREMENT: The major and point was the duration of thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 50 x 10(9)/L). An economic evaluation of both types of transplantation was done prospectively to measure costs and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: 129 patients entered the trial; 64 had PBSC transplantation, and 65 had bone marrow transplantation. The median duration of thrombocytopenia was 16 days in the PBSC group and 35 days in the bone marrow group (P < 0.001). All of the other clinical end points studied (time to last platelet transfusion, duration of granulocytopenia, number of transfusion episodes, and duration of hospitalization) favored PBSC transplantation. A cost analysis showed that total cost was decreased by 17% in adults and 29% in children with PBSC transplantation; thus, PBSC transplantation was clearly more cost-effective than bone marrow transplantation for both platelet and granulocyte recovery. CONCLUSION: Transplantation of PBSCs is associated with more rapid hematologic recovery than is bone marrow transplantation after high-dose chemotherapy for solid tumors or lymphomas. Furthermore, global costs are lower and cost-effectiveness ratios are better with PBSC transplantation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Adenosine A2A receptor antagonism potentiates L-DOPA-induced turning behaviour and c-fos expression in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats.

In order to investigate the role of adenosine A2A receptor blockade on dopamine-mediated motor responses, contralateral turning behaviour and expression of the early-gene c-fos was evaluated in rats with a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. SCH 58261, (7-(2-phenylethyl)-5-amino-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo-[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1 , 5-c]pyrimidine) a potent and selective antagonist of adenosine A2A receptors (5 mg/kg i.p.), induced a 70-fold increase in the contralateral turning behaviour induced by a low dose (2 mg/kg i.p.) of the dopamine precursor L-DOPA (L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine). Expression of c-fos as measured by Fos-like immunoreactivity after SCH 58261 plus L-DOPA was also potentiated as compared with L-DOPA alone, both in striatum and globus pallidus of the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned side of the brain. SCH 58261 induced a less marked potentiation (7-fold) of turning behaviour induced by dopamine D2 receptor stimulation with quinpirole, while Fos-like immunoreactivity in the striatum and globus pallidus was not affected. Previous studies have shown that SCH 58261 strongly potentiated dopamine D1 receptor-mediated responses. The results of the present study therefore indicate that the positive interaction between SCH 58261 and L-DOPA, in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, is mainly due to an interaction with dopamine D1 receptors. The data also suggest that adenosine A2A receptor antagonists might be useful for potentiating the effects of L-DOPA in Parkinson's disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Hepatic resection and transplantation for peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recent publications have questioned the role of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in treating advanced or unresectable peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (Ch-Ca). STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed our experience with Ch-Ca to determine survival rates, recurrence patterns, and risk factors in 54 patients who underwent either hepatic resection or OLT between 1981 and 1994. Liver transplantation was performed in patients with unresectable tumors (n = 12) and in those with advanced cirrhosis (n = 8). There were 33 women (61%) and 21 men (39%), with a mean age of 54.3 years. The median followup period was 6.8 years. Prognostic risk factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Mortality within 30 days was 7.4%. Overall patient and tumor-free survival rates were 64% and 57% at 1 year, 34% and 34% at 3 years, and 26% and 27% at 5 years after operation. Thirty-two patients (59.3%) experienced tumor recurrence. Univariate analysis revealed that multiple tumors, bilobar tumor distribution, regional lymph node involvement, presence of metastasis, positive surgical margins, and advanced pTNM stages were significant negative predictors of both tumor-free and patient survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that positive margins, multiple tumors, and lymph node involvement were independently associated with poor prognosis. When patients with these three negative predictors were excluded, the patient survivals at 1, 3, and 5 years were 74%, 64%, and 62%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both hepatic resection and OLT are effective therapies for Ch-Ca when the tumor can be removed with adequate margins, the lesion is singular, and lymph nodes are not involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

One-tube nested polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infections.

A one-tube nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers derived from the major outer membrane protein gene sequence of Chlamydia trachomatis was compared with McCoy cell culture for the detection of the micro-organism in clinical specimens. Of 110 urogenital and ocular specimens, 21 were positive by culture and 25 by nested PCR; all 21 culture-positive specimens were also positive by nested PCR. After resolution of discrepant specimens as true-positive, sensitivity was 100% for nested PCR and 84% for cell culture, while specificity was 100% for both tests. One-tube nested PCR appears to be a rapid, highly sensitive and specific technique for diagnosing C. trachomatis infections.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Patients with stage III/IV Hodgkin's disease in partial remission after MOPP/ABV chemotherapy have excellent prognosis after additional involved-field radiotherapy: interim results from the ongoing EORTC-LCG and GPMC phase III trial. The EORTC Lymphoma Cooperative Group and Groupe Pierre-et-Marie-Curie.

BACKGROUND: Failure to reach complete remission (CR) with chemotherapy in advanced stages of Hodgkin's disease is considered a poor prognostic factor for progression-free and overall survival. The role of radiotherapy after chemotherapy-induced remission is controversial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 1989, the EORTC/GPMC started a randomized phase III trial on involved-field RT (IF-RT) after MOPP/ABV hybrid-induced remission in patients with stage III/IV Hodgkin's disease. In this ongoing trial, patients in CR after chemotherapy are randomized between IF-RT and no further treatment. Patients in partial remission (PR) all receive IF-RT. Patients, age 15-70 years, with previously untreated stage III/IV Hodgkin's disease are eligible. The randomized treatment arms are still blinded. The interim analysis of May 1996 focuses on the outcome of patients in chemotherapy-induced PR. RESULTS: A total of 405 of 493 registered patients were evaluable for response to chemotherapy. Fifty-nine percent of patients attained a CR, 37% a PR, and only 4% failed to respond. The IF-RT was actually given to 90% of the PR patients. After a median follow-up of 43 months, the five year progression-free and overall survival for patients in PR was 75% and 87%, respectively. CONCLUSION: IF-RT after MOPP/ABV-induced partial remission in stage III/IV Hodgkin's disease produces excellent failure-free and overall survival. Early intensification of treatment of this group of patients is not indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Survival and quality of life after liver transplantation for acute alcoholic hepatitis.

The applicability of liver transplantation for ALD remains limited because of ethical arguments and also because of the perception of poor outcome after transplantation. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis are known to do as well as patients with nonalcoholic liver disease after receiving liver allografts; however, the outcome in patients with severe acute alcoholic hepatitis in this setting is unclear. We studied 9 liver transplant recipients in whom severe acute alcoholic hepatitis was retrospectively diagnosed; 8 had underlying cirrhosis, and 1 had advanced fibrosis. All had Maddrey's discriminant function > 32, and most had hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome. History regarding abstinence was unreliable in some patients. Episodes of acute cellular rejection responded quickly to therapy, and despite recidivism in some patients, long-term survival was comparable to that of patients receiving transplants with alcoholic cirrhosis alone and those with a milder degree of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. This study suggests that severe acute alcoholic hepatitis may not be an appropriate contraindication for liver transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

C-Fos expression as a molecular marker in corticotropin-releasing factor-induced seizures.

Expression of Fos-like protein has been shown to increase after seizures in several types of experimentally induced epilepsies. The intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of murine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in rats (10 micrograms), shows an electroencephalographic (EEG) spiking activity restricted to the amygdaloid-hippocampal area. This EEG seizure pattern represents a unique model of localized epileptic activity induced by a neuropeptide. C-fos expression after icv CRF has been considered a useful tool in mapping areas involved in stress and in seizure activity. Our results show that 1 microgram and 10 micrograms CRF are able to induce c-fos activation in several brain areas. Moreover, the present study not only details c-fos expression increase in brain areas directly involved in spiking activation, such as the amygdaloid-hippocampal region, but also maps the possible contribution of other regions to seizure manifestations.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation.

Thirty-two patients with coronary artery disease who underwent liver transplantation between 1990 and 1994 were identified. Coronary artery disease was managed medically (n = 9), by angioplasty (n = 1), or surgically (n = 22) prior to liver transplantation. Two patients underwent simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting and liver transplantation. Complete preoperative cardiac evaluation was performed in all patients. Perioperative and postoperative morbidity and mortality were retrospectively determined. Overall mortality was 50%, whereas morbidity was 81%. Follow-up was between 1 and 3 years after liver transplantation. Subgroup analysis revealed that medically managed patients had a 56% mortality and a 100% morbidity. The patient who underwent angioplasty survived without morbidity. One patient who underwent simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting and liver transplantation died intraoperatively. The second patient survived but required pacemaker insertion and inotropic agents postoperatively. The 20 patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting had a 50% mortality and 80% morbidity. Further, analysis by United Network for Organ Sharing functional status revealed a higher than expected mortality in all groups. The morbidity and mortality associated with liver transplantation is significantly increased in patients with coronary artery disease and is equally high in medically and surgically treated patients. By comparison, patients without coronary artery disease have a 3-year survival of 55.4% (status I) to 79.7% (status III and IV). The increased intraoperative and postoperative risk in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing liver transplantation should be considered when determining the candidacy of these patients as well as when providing informed consent.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Blockade of A2a adenosine receptors positively modulates turning behaviour and c-Fos expression induced by D1 agonists in dopamine-denervated rats.

In rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway, administration of the A2a adenosine antagonist SCH 58261 alone did not induce any motor asymmetry but strongly potentiated the contralateral turning behaviour induced by the dopamine D1 agonist SKF 38393. SCH 58261 also increased the number of Fos-like positive nuclei induced by SKF 38393 in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned striatum. Intense potentiation of D1-dependent turning behaviour and c-Fos expression was also observed after administration of the A2a/A1 antagonist CGS 15943. Administration of the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist DPCPX induced a small potentiation of D1-mediated contralateral turning while c-Fos expression induced by SKF 38393 was not modified. The results suggest that endogenous adenosine acting on A2a receptors can exert an inhibitory influence on the functional expression of D1-mediated responses in dopamine-denervated rats, and propose new possible therapeutic approaches in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗
PubMed1995

Capillary blood versus arterial or venous blood for tacrolimus monitoring in liver transplantation.

Tacrolimus has been found to be useful in clinical solid organ transplantation. A very careful monitoring of the tacrolimus levels and dose adjustments are essential, at least in the immediate post-liver transplantation, situation. However, quite often after liver transplantation, patients have limited venous access for daily monitoring of tacrolimus levels. When the blood is sampled from a multilumen central venous catheter, used also for intravenous administration of tacrolimus, falsely elevated concentrations of tacrolimus have been observed. The present study examines the concentration of tacrolimus in capillary blood samples obtained from finger stick and compares its concentrations in simultaneously drawn samples from arterial line, peripheral venous puncture, and multilumen centrally placed venous catheter from the port used for tacrolimus infusion and the port not used for tacrolimus infusion. Ten adult post-liver transplantation recipients were studied. Whole blood concentration of tacrolimus in capillary blood was comparable to that of arterial blood, as well as to that of peripheral venous blood samples (r2 = 0.99; P = 0.72). Concentrations of tacrolimus in venous blood drawn from the port of the multilumen catheter used for intravenous tacrolimus infusion were 3-23 times higher (P = 0.0015), while the concentrations of venous blood drawn from the port not used for tacrolimus infusion were 1.7-4.5 times higher (P = 0.016), as compared with arterial, capillary, or peripheral venous whole blood concentrations.

Adult↗