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Biomedical subjects

E Arteaga

Publications and source records attributed to E Arteaga.

100 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Cutaneous and renal geotrichosis in a giant tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus).

A case of cutaneous and renal geotrichosis in a giant tortoise, Geochelone elephantopus, at the Zoological Park of Barcelona is reported. Fungal hyphae and spores were seen in skin and kidney. Culture of these tissues yielded Geotrichum candidum. This fungus was isolated from the faeces of 5 other giant tortoises that were housed with the dead animal and from specimens of corn hydroponic culture which is part of their diet. Arthrospore suspensions of the 2 strains isolated from the dead animal's skin and kidney were experimentally inoculated into mice and turtles (Testudo horsfiedi) in order to determine the pathogenicity of G. candidum for animal tissues. Our results confirm its low pathogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Mycobacterium chelonei iatrogenic infections.

We report on two outbreaks of Mycobacterium chelonei subsp. abscessus cutaneous infections, which occurred between June 1974 and April 1975 in a series of 24 patients (15 studied bacteriologically) subjected to venous stripping for varicose veins. The source of infection was the aqueous solution of merbromin used in presurgical care.

Drug Contamination↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adrenal macrotumors diagnosed by computed tomography.

UNLABELLED: Adrenal tumors larger than 6 cm are unusual but show a greater incidence of malignant etiologies than smaller adrenal tumors. The scarce information about adrenal macrotumors (AMT) induced us to study prospectively all patients who were seen in our clinic during the period 1984-1988 and were diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) to have an adrenal mass greater than or equal to 6 cm. The clinical characteristics, including the main complaint, tumoral secretory activity, CT findings and histologic diagnosis from 18 patients are described; they represented a 0.3% of the total amount of abdominal CT studies performed. Seventy-two % of AMT resulted to be non cortisol or catecholamines secreting masses, and from them, a 38% corresponded to malignant etiologies characterized by marked and rapid weight loss. Four out of five hormone secreting AMT corresponded to pheochromocytomas, while the fifth one resulted to be a bilateral macronodular hyperplasia secreting cortisol. In two cases AMT did not correspond to a genuine adrenal mass, resulting to be a malignant histocytoma in one case and a hydatidic cyst in other one. When performed in two occasions, a percutaneous needle biopsy was a valuable diagnostic tool, permitting to diagnose a lymphoma and a tuberculoma. IN CONCLUSION: 1) AMT correspond mainly to non cortisol or catecholamines secreting tumors, often malignant; 2) not all AMT diagnosed by CT correspond to true adrenal masses; 3) percutaneous needle biopsy can be a helpful procedure for diagnosing nonfunctioning solid AMT.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Self-expanding endovascular stent-graft implant for treatment of descending aortic diseases.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysms and dissections involving the descending thoracic aorta and the distal portion of the aortic arch are difficult to resolve surgically. The introduction of endovascular self-expanding stent-grafts has simplified the operation. Given the complications associated with their peripheral placement, we explored the feasibility of surgical insertion. METHODS: Thirteen patients underwent surgical insertion of a stent-graft into the aortic arch via longitudinal aortotomy. Six patients had aneurysms (ruptured in two, and seven dissections (acute in two, ruptured in one). Five patients also underwent associated procedures including aortic valve replacement (one), ascending aorta replacement (two), arch replacement (one), and coronary artery bypass (one). RESULTS: There was one intraoperative death due to ascending aortic dissection, and two hospital deaths due to multiple complications. Of ten patients discharged, one died 3 months postoperatively. The remaining survivors are well, and imaging studies confirmed adequate correction of the aortic disease. CONCLUSIONS: The use of this technique simplifies the operation and treatment of particular cases of aortic disease. The observed morbidity and mortality are due to factors independent of the technique.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Studies of impaired aldosterone response to spironolactone-induced renin and potassium elevations in adenomatous but not hyperplastic primary aldosteronism.

Spironolactone (SPL) corrects hypertension, hypokalemia, and hyporeninemia in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) by blocking mineralocorticoid (MCH) receptors. We evaluated the effect of continuous SPL treatment (100 to 300 mg/day for 7 days to 9 years) on plasma renin (PRC), potassium, aldosterone (PA), 18-hydroxycorticosterone (18-OHB), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), and corticosterone (B) concentrations and 24-hour urinary excretion of aldosterone (UA) in 24 patients with PHA (15 with an aldosterone-producing adenoma [APA] and nine with idiopathic PHA [IHA]). Despite the normalization of PRC and K in both APA and IHA patients by SPL, UA and PA failed to increase in APA (55.8 +/- 8.8 to 51.4 +/- 7.3 micrograms/24 hr and 54.0 +/- 9.4 to 44.6 +/- 6.2 ng/dl, respectively) in contrast to rises in IHA patients (22.3 +/- 2.5 to 69.3 +/- 10.3 micrograms/24 hr and 16.0 +/- 1.0 to 49.9 +/- 9.9 ng/dl). Similar corrections with amiloride (20-40 mg/day for 2 months) in one patient with APA produced a three- to fourfold increase in UA and PA. In addition, while on SPL the characteristic fall or no change in PA and 18-OHB during upright posture persisted in all APA patients despite further increases in PRC (4.48 +/- 1.15 to 7.86 +/- 1.89) and K (4.0 +/- 0.1 to 4.3 +/- 0.1). The patterns of the aldosterone precursors, DOC, B, and 18-OHB, and their ratios to acute stimulation with cosyntropin were not altered by SPL. Thus, SPL treatment causes a sustained impairment of the aldosterone secretory response to normalized PRC and K, but not to ACTH stimulation, only in patients with APA.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of 17beta-estradiol and alpha-tocopherol on the oxidation of LDL cholesterol from postmenopausal women and the minor effect of gamma-tocopherol and melatonin.

OBJECTIVE: Estrogens have a potent antioxidant effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in vitro and in vivo. A variety of compounds with antioxidant properties, such as vitamins and other hormones, also have been recommended in clinical practice to prevent several diseases related to oxidation. The aim of this study was to compare the antioxidant potency of estradiol (E2), the liposoluble vitamin E (both, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol), and melatonin. DESIGN: LDL was isolated by ultracentrifugation from the plasma of 11 healthy, untreated postmenopausal women. Aliquots containing 0.5 mg of LDL protein were incubated for 4 h with 15 microM of CuSO4 to induce oxidative stress and with one of the four compounds studied: E2, alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, or melatonin in doses of 0, 5, 15, 50, and 500 microM and 1 and 2 mM. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured as a marker of LDL oxidation. RESULTS: E2 induced a dose-dependent decrease in MDA concentration (nmol/mg protein). MDA values were significantly different as compared with baseline at 5 microM of E2 (F = 47.17; p < 0.0001). Alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and melatonin also showed a significant decrease in MDA concentration but to a lesser degree. The reduction of MDA reached statistical significance at 50 microM with alpha-tocopherol, 500 microM with melatonin, and 1 mM with gamma-tocopherol. The antioxidant effect also reached a plateau at concentrations of 50 microM of E2 and 1 mM of alpha-tocopherol; gamma-tocopherol and melatonin did not reach a plateau at any dose tested. CONCLUSIONS: The antioxidant potency of E2 in vitro is at least 10-100 times greater than alpha- and gamma-tocopherol and melatonin. Whether this finding implies a better performance of E2 as a protective agent against oxidation-related diseases remains to be determined.

Antioxidants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Beta-hemolytic streptococci in tonsil hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis].

BACKGROUND: The recurrence of streptococci acute tonsillitis is a complication that often motivates the tonsillectomy. We studied the colonisation of tonsils and adenoids by S. pyogenes and other beta haemolytic streptococci in both surgical indications, recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy. METHODS: We made for aerobic culture the following specimens, throat swabs, tonsils and adenoids tissue corresponding to 47 children referred for tonsillectomy. RESULTS: S. pyogenes was isolated in 11 cases (23.4%) of tonsils and other beta haemolytic non A streptococci was isolated in 11 cases, of them, group C streptococci was the most frequent with six cases. However in the recurrent tonsillitis group, S. pyogenes was isolated more significantly (47%) that other beta haemolytic streptococci (5.8%). Otherwise in the tonsilar hypertrophy group, S. pyogenes was isolated in the 10% while that other streptococci was isolated in the 33.3%. The culture of 38 adenoids yielded S. pyogenes and beta haemolytic group C streptococci in 6 cases each one (15.7%). CONCLUSIONS: S. pyogenes was isolated more frequently in recurrent tonsillitis that other micro-organisms while that in the tonsilar hypertrophy group predominated streptococci beta haemolytic non A, S. aureus and H. influenzae. Is of interest that the adenoids in our study showed an important reservoir of beta haemolytic streptococci. The throats swabs yielded less of the half of all beta haemolytic streptococci isolated in tonsilar tissue cultured.

Adenoids↗