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D Almeida

Publications and source records attributed to D Almeida.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effect of intrauterine position on sex differences in the gabaergic system and behavior of rats.

In multiparous species such as the rat (in this case the albino Wistar strain), steroid influence during fetal growth is affected by the relative intrauterine position of male and female fetuses and is stronger when the potential effects of contiguity and caudal position are combined. The effect of intrauterine position on gonadal steroid levels in neonatal and adult animals was examined using radioimmunoassay techniques. Since the organizing effect of prenatal steroids may influence the postnatal GABA content, HPLC was used to determine the gabaergic content in several hypothalamic and limbic areas in the adult rat. The effects of intrauterine position on adaptive behavior were examined by recording exploratory behavior (using the corridor and hole board tests) and intraspecific aggression (induced by isolation). Female pups influenced by males during development produced more testosterone. In adult males, those that developed closer to the cervix (and with no influence from other fetuses) produced more testosterone and less estradiol. The same animals also produced more hypothalamic GABA and showed greater exploratory capacity. No significant differences were seen between any experimental groups with respect to aggression. These results show increased variability between males with respect to adult exploratory behavior, and in the neurochemical and endocrine systems involved, due to intrauterine position during development. The effect of this physiological phenomenon on the structure of rodent populations is discussed.

Aggression↗
PubMed2004

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in the Western Brazilian Amazon region (Rio Branco, Acre): a pilot study carried out during a hepatitis B vaccination program.

In 1999, on the occasion of the application of the first vaccine dose during the state vaccination campaign against hepatitis B virus (HBV), 390 individuals from the town of Rio Branco, Acre, aged two or more years were selected for the determination of the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV. HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc IgG) were determined on this occasion and anti-HBs antibodies were also assessed 30 days after the third vaccine dose. At the time of vaccination, 39% of the individuals were still susceptible to HBV, while 61% presented serologic evidence of previous HBV contact or previous vaccination. The individuals with previous HBV contact were significantly older (p<0.001) than those without HBV markers. Of the 192 individuals who returned for reexamination, 30 days after the third dose, 158 (82.3%) had received three vaccine doses, and only 60 (31.2%) belonged to the group without HBV markers. In these individuals, the seroconversion rate after the third dose was 92% (55/60). In conclusion, we found considerable HBV in this population, indicating the need for pursuing the immunization programs. We also found high rates of vaccination coverage in the Western Brazilian Amazon region.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Age as a predictor of everyday environmental demands in old age].

Across the lifespan, different environmental contexts may, in the long term, affect health and well-being. Exactly which contextual demands translate into different aspects of self-reported everyday demands has hardly been examined. In this telephone-based study with 365 adults between 51 and 80 years, we assessed (a) age differences in the existing everyday demands, (b) relations between different measures of everyday demands, and (c) the correlational patterns between measures of everyday contexts and everyday demands. Results demonstrate age effects in all measures of everyday demands, and differences between measures. The findings suggest age-related differences in the correlational patterns between specific everyday contexts and the levels of everyday demands.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

[Anti-ribosomal antibodies as activity markers in systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVES: a) to determine the prevalence of anti-ribosomal P antibodies in patients with ESL in our setting; b) to determine if there are associations between clinical signs of ESL and these autoantibodies; c) to analyze if there is any correlation between the presence of anti-P in patients with ESL and the results of other routine lab tests; and d) to assess the usefulness of implementing as routine test the determination of anti-P antibodies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 60 patients diagnosed of ESL and 61 healthy subjects as the control group. ELISA was used to determine anti-ribosomal antibodies. Chi-square, Fisher and Student t tests were used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: Of the 60 patients with SLE, 29 (48%) had anti-P antibodies as determined by ELISA. No association was observed between the presence of anti-P antibodies and psychosis, depression, hepatic failure, renal failure or any other clinical signs of ESL. A correlation was found between the levels of anti-P antibodies as determined by ELISA and anti-histone, ANA and AMA antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anti-P antibodies was high among our ESL patients (48%). Their presence was not significantly associated with any clinical sign; however, an association was found with other lab markers related to the presence of active disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Comparative study of bacterial infection prevalence between cirrhotic patients with and without upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Bacterial infection is a frequent complication in patients with chronic liver disease, mainly during the advanced stages. There is evidence that the main factors that contribute to a predisposition to infection in cirrhotic patients are related to hepatic failure with consequent immunodeficiency. Invasive procedures (diagnostic or therapeutic) can predispose to bacterial infections, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) is considered a potentially important risk factor. A group of cirrhotic patients (child B and C Pugh groups) were evaluated retrospectively by chart reviews regarding the prevalence of bacterial infection during hospitalization to determine whether UGB was a risk factor. An infection was considered present if a specific organ system was identified or if fever (> 38(o)C) persisted for more than 24 hours with associated leukocytosis. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis was based on classical criteria. Eighty-nine patients were evaluated. Fourty-six patients presented with UGB, and 43 patients had no UGB (control). There were infections recorded in 25/46 (54%) patients with UGB, and 15/43 (35%) in those without UGB (p=0.065). The ratio of the number of infections/admitted patients, was significantly larger in the group with UGB (0.78 +/- 0.89 vs. 0.39 +/- 0.62; p=0.028) since patients had more than one infection. In the UGB group compared to non UGB group, ascites was more frequent (67% vs. 42%; p=0.027); they were more likely to have undergone endoscopic procedures (p<0.001) and the mean +/- SD for platelets count was smaller (96,114 +/- 57,563 vs 145,674 +/- 104,083; p=0.007). The results show that UGB is an important contribution to bacterial infection among Child B and C cirrhotic patients.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2000

Variation of mohair quality over the body in Angora goats.

Forty female Angora goats were selected at random from the experimental nucleus of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (Pilcaniyeu, Argentina), with the aim of analyzing the variability of main fleece characteristics of the Angora goats and establishing an optimum sampling site. Samples were taken at the first and second shearings (12 and 18 months of age) from the following parts of the fleece: neck, midrib, back, britch, belly and shoulder. For each sample the following determinations were made: oven-dry yield (YLD); average (AFD); standard deviation (SDAFD) and coefficient of variation (CVAFD) of fiber diameter; percentage of medullated fibers (MFT); characterization of three types of medullated fibers: continuous (MFC), interrupted (MFD) and kemp (KEMP) by estimating their proportion, average fiber diameter, standard deviation and coefficient of variation of fiber diameter; wax (WAX); suint (SUINT); humidity (HMD); staple length (STAPLE); degree of brightness (Y) and degree of yellowness (Y-Z). All variables studied showed statistically significant variability among to the sampling position (P<0.05), except of Y-Z, proportion of FMC, average fiber diameter of MFD and KEMP, and standard deviation of fiber diameter of KEMP at 12 months of age, at 18 months old for STAPLE and standard deviation of fiber diameter of MFD, and for CVAFD at the two ages of shearing (P0.05). The results showed that sampling from the midrib of Angora goats gave adequate representation for most of the fleece variables analyzed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Long-lasting effects of GABA infusion into the cerebral cortex of the rat.

In electrophysiological terms, experimental models of durable information storage in the brain include long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression, and kindling. Protein synthesis correlates with these enduring processes. We propose a fourth example of long-lasting information storage in the brain, which we call the GABA-withdrawal syndrome (GWS). In rats, withdrawal of a chronic intracortical infusion of GABA, a ubiquitous inhibitory neurotransmitter, induced epileptogenesis at the infusion site. This overt GWS lasted for days. Anisomycin, a protein synthesis inhibitor, prevented the appearance of GWS in vivo. Hippocampal and neocortical slices showed a similar post-GABA hyperexcitability in vitro and an enhanced susceptibility to LTP induction. One to four months after the epileptic behavior disappeared, systemic administration of a subconvulsant dose of pentylenetetrazol produced the reappearance of paroxysmal activity. The long-lasting effects of tonic GABAA receptor stimulation may be involved in long-term information storage processes at the cortical level, whereas the cessation of GABAA receptor stimulation may be involved in chronic pathological conditions, such as epilepsy. Furthermore, we propose that GWS may represent a common key factor in the addiction to GABAergic agents (for example, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and ethanol). GWS represents a novel form of neurono-glial plasticity. The mechanisms of this phenomenon remain to be understood.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Low surface tension calcium hydroxide solution is an effective antiseptic.

The antimicrobial effects of a saturated calcium hydroxide solution, and in combination with 10% and 20% detergent, were evaluated on Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Neisseria sp., diphtheroid, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans. The saturated calcium hydroxide solution was effective against only four of the 11 microorganisms studied over a 60-min exposure time. The calcium hydroxide solutions containing detergent killed all 11 test organisms over a 30-min exposure time. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference in antimicrobial action was found between the 10% and 20% detergent calcium hydroxide solutions (P > 0.01). However, the low surface tension (46.5 x 10(-3) Nm-1) and high pH (10.8) of the calcium hydroxide solution with 20% detergent establish it as the more effective solution.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1991

Knowledge-based approach to the management of serious arrhythmia in the CCU.

An expert system (SETA) for the management of patients in the CCU environment has been developed. SETA suggests therapeutic actions for the treatment of serious arrhythmias that complicate the pathophysiological state of patients recovering from acute and suspected myocardial infarction. The prototype begins by reasoning from the arrhythmia, diagnosed from the ECG signal, and progresses through its inference process by considering ECG changes (i.e. heart rate, QRS width), patient clinical data, patient history and therapeutic drug data, to reach the most appropriate actions for each particular patient. The system was implemented on production rules using M1 as a development tool. SETA uses a multiknowledge base (KB) architecture, one for each particular arrhythmia and relevant complication, and a decision board that controls the firing of the KBs and keeps track of patient status through time. The system takes into consideration aspects that are very important for the human expert, e.g. sequence of arrhythmia appearance, drug contraindications and priority in the case of simultaneous arrhythmia. The development of this system has given insight into the management of critical CCU patients, that should influence the specification and design of intelligent instruments for this clinical environment.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMed1991

DNA-RFLP analysis and genotyping of HLA-DR alleles in the south of Spain.

42 healthy individuals previously HLA-DR typed by serology, were HLA class II typed using RFLPs. The pattern of hybridization revealed allele specific DNA fragments for some DR specificities. Three fragments highly associated with HLA-DR antigens: a 7 kb RFLP with DR1; a 10 kb RFLP with DR-3/DR-5 and a 13 kb band with DR4/DR7.

Alleles↗
PubMed1982

Emotional responses of patients with acute myocardial infarction to their disease.

50 consecutive US survivors of acute myocardial infarction, when questioned about their recent stay in the Coronary Case Unit and their current health status, denied being fearful or worried about their disease. This attitude did not differ with sex, race, educational level, marital status, or work status. However, younger patients were more likely to deny fear and feelings of invalidism and dependence than older patients. Differences were noted between the US patient responses and responses of Venezuelan patients to the same questionnaire. US patients generally wanted to learn more about their coronary disease, and Venezuelan patients did not. The difference in these responses may represent two different means of coping with fear of illness and, consequently, two different behavior patterns; or may reflect sociocultural differences in expectations of the pattern of medical care.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Occurence of Veillonella and Neisseria in the niches of the human oral cavity.

Samples collected from the dental surface, gingival sulcus, dorsum of the tongue and from the cheek of ten adults (18 to 32 years) were investigated to identify the Veillonella and Neisseria species present by applying the taxonomic criteria suggested in the latest edition of Bergey's Manual. The various niches contain both V. parvula and V. alcalescens, but with the predominance of strains which do not fit precisely the described catalase and putrescine requirements. Eighty-nine out of 100 isolated strains of Gram negative oxidase positive cocci could be identified as N. sicca and N. subflava; about 11 unidentified strains exhibited characteristics of N. flavescens species.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte interaction: role of fibronectin in the recognition process and extracellular matrix expression in vitro and in vivo.

We investigated the involvement of fibronectin (FN) in Trypanosoma cruzi-cardiomyocyte invasion and the extracellular matrix (ECM) components expression during T. cruzi infection in vivo and in vitro. Treatment of trypomastigotes with FN or a synthetic peptide (MRGDS) prior to cardiomyocyte interaction reduced T. cruzi infection, indicating that FN mediates the parasite invasion through its RGD sequence. In murine experimental Chagas' disease, an enhancement of the ECM components was detected in the myocardium during the late acute infection, coinciding with inflammatory infiltrates accumulation. In contrast, highly infected cardiomyocytes displayed a reduction in FN expression in vitro, while laminin spatial distribution was altered. Although it has been demonstrated that cardiomyocytes are able to synthesize cytokines upon T. cruzi infection, our data suggest that matrix remodeling is dependent on cytokines secreted by inflammatory cells recruited in immune response.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sildenafil improves quality of life in men with heart failure and erectile dysfunction.

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have specific factors that enhance the risk for erectile dysfunction (ED), such as low cardiac output and the use of drugs with vasodilator effect. ED can negatively affect interpersonal relationships and self-esteem, with significant impact on the quality of life. We hypothesized that the improvement of the sexual dysfunction would enhance the quality of life of individuals with systolic heart failure. This is a prospective study of 12 male CHF patients using a fixed dose of sildenafil during 1 month. Patients were included if they had left ventricular ejection fraction lower than 40% documented by echocardiography and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score lower than 21. The effect of sildenafil in quality of life was evaluated by the Minnesota questionnaire. Improvement in ED was assessed using the IIEF. The mean IIEF5 score was 9.6 (+/-3.8) before the use of sildenafil and 19.3 (+/-4.3) after sildenafil (P = 0.0001). The mean Minnesota score was 28.75 (+/-21) before treatment and 12.75 (+/-10.1) after the intervention (P = 0.012). In conclusion, the sexual function improvement provided by sildenafil enhances quality of life in individuals with systolic heart failure.

Aged↗