Biomedical subjects

Alejandro Rodríguez

Publications and source records attributed to Alejandro Rodríguez.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Are thrombocytes and platelets true phagocytes?

Thrombocytes and platelets, beyond their primary function in hemostasis, seem to play an active role in inflammation. As regards their phagocytic ability, the results to date are confusing, incomplete, and somewhat contradictory. Whereas the interaction of avian thrombocytes or mammalian platelets with bacteria both in vitro and in vivo has received wide attention, almost no information exists on the topic in "lower" vertebrates. The aim of this work is to review the available information on the phagocytic properties of thrombocytes and platelets. Particular attention is payed to the ontogeny of these cells, the soluble factors involved in the inflammatory process derived from them, and their interaction with particulate material, mainly with bacteria.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Oral administration of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enhances the cellular innate immune response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.).

The effects of including lyophilised whole yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in the diet on the seabream innate immune response were investigated. Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) specimens were fed four different diets for 4 weeks: a commercial diet as control and the same diet supplemented with 1, 5 or 10 g/kg yeast. After 1, 2 and 4 weeks, serum complement titres, as a humoral parameter, and phagocytic, respiratory burst, myeloperoxidase and natural cytotoxic activities of head-kidney leucocytes, as cellular parameters, were evaluated. The results showed that yeast supplements enhanced all the latter responses, but not the humoral response. This enhancement was dose-dependent except for the cytotoxic activity that was only stimulated by the lower dose of yeast assayed. As yeast cell walls are able to enhance the seabream cellular innate immune response, these results support the possible use of whole yeast as natural inmunostimulants in common fish diets.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2002

Renal cell carcinoma in young adults: incidence, disease outcome and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence, clinical presentation and pathological prognostic factors affecting disease outcome of RCC in young adults less than 40 years old. METHODS: The charts o medical records of 400 patients treated surgically for RCC between January 1984 and December 1999 were reviewed. 29 (7.25%) patients were under 40. We used ANOVA regression and Chisquare (Fisher exact test) to assess the prognostic value of the quantitative and qualitative variables, respectively. Estimation of the survival distributions were calculated according to Kaplan-Meier method and compared with Log rank test. Multivariate analysis of the entire population utilizing Cox models was performed. RESULTS: The most common histological cell type was clear cell carcinoma, found in 20 (69%) patients. At a median follow-up of 80 months, 20 (69%) patients were disease free and 9 (31%) died of the disease. Incidental discovery (p = 0.05), tumor stage (p = 0.043), grade (p = 0.011), lymphatic invasion (p < 0.0001) metastasis (p = 0.003), adrenal invasion (p = 0.024), and renal vein invasion (p < 0.0001) were associated with prognosis (Kaplan-Meier). When comparing patients less than 40 years vs. older than 40 years, we found significant differences in histology type (clear cell carcinoma 69% vs. 91%; p = 0.0001), and tumor stage at presentation (pT2 = 34.5% vs. 17.3%; p = 0.04) (pT3 = 20.7% vs. 42%; p = 0.03). Disease free survival was not significantly different between the two groups (69% vs. 65.7%; Log rank test p = 0.4). CONCLUSION: Although rare, RCC in young adults seems to follow a course similar to the disease seen in older patients. Among the prognostic factors studied incidental discovery, pathological stage of the tumor and grade, were associated with survival. Stage at presentation was different between the two populations however survival was not affected by age.

Adenocarcinoma↗