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Biomedical subjects

A Vaz

Publications and source records attributed to A Vaz.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Occurrence of Kudoa sp. (Myxozoa) in Trachurus trachurus L. (osteichthyes) in Portugal.

Specimens of Trachurus trachurus L., obtained monthly in a fish market of Oporto from October 1998 to August 1999, were examined for the presence of Kudoa in the muscle. Kudoa sp. spores were found in 84.7% of the specimens (n = 209). The prevalence was not significantly different between seasons and was not related to the host's length. The infection does not seem to have negative effects on the fish quality once no macroscopic pseudocysts or myoliquefaction were detected.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Immunological analysis of pleural fluid in post-cardiac injury syndrome.

Post-cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is an inflammatory process involving pleura and pericardium secondary to cardiac injury. Even though this clinical entity has been recognised for decades, diagnosis is difficult because of lack of a diagnostic test. Antimyocardial antibody titre in pleural fluid and serum has been proposed to have diagnostic value. However there are inherent difficulties in measuring and interpreting the role of antimyocardial antibody. A case of PCIS with low pleural fluid complement level is reported, which it is believed can be useful to support the diagnosis of PCIS.

Complement System Proteins↗
PubMed2001

Cellular and humoral immune responses to Borrelia burgdorferi antigens in patients with culture-positive early Lyme disease.

We determined cellular and humoral immune responses to Borrelia burgdorferi lysate and to recombinant flagellin (FlaB), OspC, and OspA in acute- and convalescent-phase samples from 39 culture-positive patients with erythema migrans and in 20 healthy control subjects. During the acute illness, a median of 4 days after the onset of erythema migrans, 51% of the patients had proliferative cellular responses and 72% had antibody responses to at least one of the borrelial antigens tested. During convalescence, at the conclusion of antibiotic therapy, 64% of the patients had proliferative cellular reactivity and 95% had antibody reactivity with at least one of the spirochetal antigens tested. In both acute- and convalescent-phase samples, cellular immune responses were found as frequently to OspA as to OspC and FlaB. Although antibody responses were also frequently seen to OspC and FlaB, only a few patients had marginal antibody reactivity with OspA. The percentage of patients with proliferative responses was similar in those with clinical evidence of localized or disseminated infection, whereas humoral reactivity was found more often in those with disseminated disease. We conclude that cellular and humoral responses to B. burgdorferi antigens are often found among patients with early Lyme disease. In contrast with the other antigens tested, cellular but not humoral reactivity was often found with OspA.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Coccidioidomycosis: an update.

The incidence of coccidiodomycosis in the southwestern United States has sharply increased over the last decade as a result of environmental and demographic changes. It is important to review the epidemiology, diagnostic indicators, and therapeutic options for both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients who have a particularly high risk of infection.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1997

Acute complications of cocaine intoxication.

The advent of crack cocaine has changed the face of acute cocaine intoxication. Repeated doses of highly concentrated, rapidly delivered drug can give rise to an array of potentially fatal cardiovascular, neurologic, and respiratory complications.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

[Hospital prevalence of kidney failure. Consequences and reflections for the planning of nephrology services].

A prospective prevalence study of Renal Failure (RF) in inhospital patients (creatinine > = 1.7 mg/dl) was carried out during March 1994, in two hospitals covering well defined and mutually exclusive populations. Cases were selected by screening all urea and creatinine blood tests performed in both laboratories, and registered in an individual form for daily follow-up of their nephrologic outcome. We registered 242 RF cases among 3525 patients admitted (6.8%), with an A.R.F. prevalence of 5.2%, 46% of all patients had a serum creatinine > 3 mg/dl and 71% were older than 65 years. In 55% RF was acquired inside the hospital. The most frequent cause of A.R.F. was pre-renal failure with 37%, followed by 32% of ischemic acute tubular necrosis and 13% toxic ATN. Nephrology was consulted in only 29% of all hospital RF cases. Only 17% of the RF patients were submitted to dialysis procedures, overall mortality was 31%, and 30% had normal renal function at discharge. Our results provide a data base to rethink the organization, staffing and role of nephrology departments inside general hospitals.

Female↗
PubMed1994

The effects of cocaine and its metabolites on the production of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen intermediates.

Cocaine, a naturally occurring alkaloid, is known to affect the immune system. The present authors have demonstrated that peritoneal macrophages, isolated from mice injected with cocaine, have an increased capacity for the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and a decreased capacity for the production of reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI). The present studies were done to determine the effects of certain cocaine metabolites on the induction of ROI and RNI by peritoneal macrophages. C57BL/6 mice were injected i.p. with either saline or 5 mg/kg of one of the following: cocaine, norcocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester HCl or ecgonine HCl. The ROI were measured using a chemiluminescence assay and the RNI were measured as nitrite secretion following exposure of isolated M phi to interferon gamma and LPS. Isolated peritoneal M phi from mice injected i.p. with cocaine, norcocaine and benzoylecgonine exhibited an increase in the production of ROI and a concomitant decrease in the production of RNI. However, injections of either ecgonine methylester HCl or ecgonine HCl had no effect on the induction of either ROI or RNI by murine peritoneal M phi. The cocaine metabolites, norcocaine and benzoylecgonine, have been reported to cause hepatic and/or cerebral toxicity. The present study also demonstrated that injection of these metabolites in vivo, also altered M phi functions which were measured in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Cocaine alters the respiratory burst and phagocytic activity of murine macrophages.

The effects of cocaine on the respiratory burst (RB) and the phagocytic activity of murine macrophages (M phi) were studied. C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with various concentrations of cocaine or appropriate vehicle. Peritoneal and alveolar M phi were isolated from mice and cultured in vitro. Both alveolar and peritoneal M phi from cocaine-exposed mice exhibited an increase in the RB when compared with M phi from saline-injected controls. This increase in the RB was apparent 60 min after injection and persisted for at least 48 hr. Injection of the cocaine metabolites, ecgonine methyl ester hydrochloride and ecgonine hydrochloride, did not affect the RB. The increase in the RB was correlated with an increase in phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan in vitro. However, an in vivo phagocytic assay using mice injected ip with cocaine, which was subsequently followed by sheep erythrocytes, demonstrated the opposite effect. Fewer peritoneal M phi from cocaine-injected mice were observed with ingested erythrocytes. These data underscore the complex effects of cocaine on M phi functions.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effects of cocaine on the respiratory burst of murine macrophages.

Cocaine is a central nervous stimulant with a major potential for abuse. It is used clinically as a local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor. The effects of cocaine on the immune system have not been studied in depth. In this study, we have investigated the effects of cocaine on the respiratory burst (RB) of murine macrophages (M phi). The RB was measured by determining the increase in chemiluminescence. Both peritoneal and alveolar M phi were isolated from cocaine-exposed mice and saline-exposed controls. Cocaine was administered by the intraperitoneal, intravenous, and intramuscular route. Both peritoneal and alveolar M phi from cocaine-exposed mice showed an increase in chemiluminescence when compared with M phi from matched controls. This effect was seen as early as one hour after cocaine exposure and lasted for up to 48 hours. Intraperitoneal injection of cocaine metabolites did not affect the RB. Macrophages exposed to cocaine in vitro failed to respond by an increase in RB. These findings indicate that cocaine induces the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and suggests possible changes in M phi functions.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Regulation of macrophage function by human recombinant myeloperoxidase.

Myeloperoxidase is an enzyme which is found in the azurophilic granules of neutrophils and is associated with bactericidal, fungicidal, and tumoricidal activity. The present studies show that human recombinant myeloperoxidase (rec-MyPo) can regulate a number of macrophage (M phi) capacities and functions. Macrophages from mice exposed to rec-MyPo in vitro released reactive oxygen intermediates, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), and interferon alpha/beta (IFN alpha/beta). Enhanced target cell killing was also demonstrated with TNF alpha sensitive but not TNF alpha insensitive cells. Intravenous injection of rec-MyPo induced high titers of systemic TNF alpha and IFN alpha/beta. These results indicate that MyPo can function as an immunomodulator both in vitro and in vivo. Because of these actions, it is apparent that MyPo represents a previously unrecognized endogenous immunomodulator.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1993

Cocaine reduces macrophage killing by inhibiting reactive nitrogen intermediates.

The present study describes the inhibition of macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity (MMC) by cocaine and suggests a possible mechanism. Mice (C57BL/6) were injected i.p. with cocaine. At various intervals after exposure to cocaine, peritoneal macrophages (M phi) were removed, cultured in the presence of interferon gamma and LPS, then incubated with 51Cr labeled target cells. A single injection of > or = 10 mg/kg cocaine was sufficient to inhibit cytotoxicity to P815 cells. This inhibition was evident 3 h after exposure to cocaine and could still be demonstrated 24 h later. Since reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) have been reported to be one of the major mechanisms by which M phi kill, the amounts of NO2- produced by M phi from cocaine-injected animals were compared with that produced by equivalent controls. Cocaine reduced the level of NO2- in a dose-dependent manner which correlated with MMC. There was a significant reduction in NO2- produced by activated M phi, 3 h after i.p. injection of cocaine but not at 24 h, using > or = 5 mg/kg. At 12 h there were differences between M phi from control animals and animals receiving > or = 10 mg/kg cocaine. By 24 h there were no differences between control and cocaine-injected animals even at the highest dose employed (25 mg/kg). These results suggest that cocaine reduces the killing ability of murine M phi through a temporary reduction of RNI.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of tumor cells in peritoneal lavages from patients with gastrointestinal cancer by multiplex reverse transcriptase PCR.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cytological examination of peritoneal lavages is a useful predictor of peritoneal recurrence in gastrointestinal carcinoma patients. Nevertheless, it may be inadequate for those patients with lavages containing only few cancer cells. In the present study, sensitive detection of free cancer cells could be achieved through amplification of cytokeratin 19, carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein mRNAs by means of multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and nested polymerase chain reaction. METHODOLOGY: The multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay was used to examine lavage samples from 64 patients with various gastrointestinal malignant lesions (colorectal n = 27; duodenal carcinoma n = 1; gastric n = 7; pancreatic n = 4; hepatocellular carcinoma n = 2; gallbladder n = 1; cholangiocellular carcinoma n = 2 and 20 colorectal liver metastases. Specificity was assessed by examination of 15 donors without malignancies. In addition, nested polymerase chain reaction was used to improve the sensitivity of the assay for the detection of alpha-fetoprotein transcripts. RESULTS: Peritoneal lavages from 12 of 64 gastrointestinal carcinoma patients were positive for carcinoembryonic antigen mRNA. Carcinoembryonic antigen proved a specific marker, as no false-positives were detected in any patients without gastrointestinal cancer. alpha-fetoprotein mRNA was detected exclusively in peritoneal lavages from tumor patients, i.e., in 16 of 27 colon cancer patients, 14 of 20 patients with colorectal liver metastasis, 2 of 7 patients with gastric cancer, two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 2 of 4 patients with pancreatic cancer. Cytokeratin 19 mRNA was not found a useful marker, since control patients without malignancies were also positive. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that carcinoembryonic antigen- and alpha-fetoprotein mRNA in peritoneal lavage are potentially useful specific markers for early diagnosis of metastasis of gastrointestinal cancer. It has been shown that alpha-fetoprotein-specific nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction can detect not only hepatocellular carcinoma cells, but also malignant cells from other gastrointestinal carcinomas. In contrast, cytokeratin 19 mRNA lacks specificity for gastrointestinal cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗