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E Cobo

Publications and source records attributed to E Cobo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Two-step (culture and PCR) diagnostic approach for differentiation of non-T. foetus trichomonads from genitalia of virgin beef bulls in Argentina.

Preputial fluids from 567 virgin Angus and Hereford bulls, 1-2 years old, were inoculated into Sutherland medium, and approximately 8.4% produced cultures with a protozoan suggestive of Tritrichomonas foetus. Under brightfield microscopy, large numbers of single-celled motile organisms with multiple anterior flagellae, a posterior flagellum, axostyle, and a visible undulating membrane were detectable. Motility was jerky and rolling, as described for T. foetus. Air-dried smears of cultures stained with Giemsa or Diff-Quick + iodine revealed an organism similar to T. foetus, although somewhat more rounded. Several organisms appeared to have four anterior flagellae. Scanning electron microscopy (5000x) of representative samples revealed four anterior flagellae on most organisms, and an axostyle that was consistently longer than that seen in T. foetus. Using pan-trichomonal primers and T. foetus-specific primers in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, amplification products of 372bp were detected in all virgin bull isolates, but only with the pan-trichomonal primers. Positive control isolates of T. foetus yielded amplification products of the expected size (372 and 347bp) with the two sets of primers, respectively. We conclude that these protozoa are not T. foetus, and note the similarity of these findings with those reported earlier in North American beef cattle. Because in several countries there is no legal treatment for bovine trichomonosis, veterinarians recommend slaughter of bulls with positive preputial cultures. The existence of easily mis-identified non-T. foetus trichomonads in the bovine prepuce suggests that the current "gold standard" diagnostic test (culture of preputial scrapings or washings) should be augmented with a more specific confirming test, such as the PCR employed in this study.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A new measure for assessing the health-related quality of life of patients with vertigo, dizziness or imbalance: the VDI questionnaire.

Vertigo, dizziness and imbalance are frequent symptoms among patients in clinical practice. We present the development of a new multipurpose measure specific to patients with these symptoms: the VDI questionnaire. Items of the VDI questionnaire were generated through an international panel of clinicians, in-depth interviews with 25 patients and an extensive literature search. Items were reduced by qualitative and quantitative methods. Psychometric properties were tested in 130 patients recruited in primary care general practices, neurologists and ENT out-patient clinics. Patients were clinically evaluated and administered several specific and generic health status instruments: the Balance Scale, the SF-12 Health Survey and the General Health Questionnaire 12 items. The VDI symptoms and the VDI health related quality of life (HRQoL) scales were administered during the visit and some weeks after. Correlation and confirmatory factor analysis were used. Reliability of the VDI was high (0.92 for VDI HRQoL scale and 0.86 for VDI symptoms). VDI scores were more correlated with Balance Scale scores than with mental health indicators. All factor loadings were significantly different from zero and confirmed the expected relations. In the second administration, VDI scores showed a deterioration among those reporting a worsening in their symptoms and an improvement among those reporting feeling better. The data presented suggest that the VDI questionnaire is a reliable, valid and responsive instrument for patients with vertigo, dizziness or imbalance. The VDI questionnaire could be a useful complement of the clinical evaluation of these patients at both group and individual level.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Cervical cerclage: an alternative for the management of placenta previa?

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether cervical cerclage reduces the maternal and neonatal morbidity in women with placenta previa. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-nine pregnant women with an initial diagnosis of placenta previa at 24 to 30 weeks' gestation were randomly assigned to cervical cerclage (n = 19) or conservative management (n = 20). Subjects were followed up until delivery. Primary outcome measure was gestational age at delivery. Secondary outcome measures were prolongation of pregnancy, number of patients bleeding after being randomly assigned, units of blood transfused, birth weight, hospital stay and costs, and admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Statistical significance was calculated by the Student t test, Fisher's exact probability test, and the chi2 with Yates' correction factor. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups studied. CONCLUSION: Cervical cerclage does not appear to be an adequate alternative for the management of placenta previa.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Severe preeclampsia and postpartum eclampsia associated with placenta previa and cesarean and hysterectomy: a case report.

Several prior studies have demonstrated that the presence of placenta previa protects against the development of preeclampsia. Also, there are no reported cases of eclampsia following cesarean section and hysterectomy. However, we encountered a patient with total placenta previa and accreta who developed severe antepartum preeclampsia followed by the onset of eclamptic seizures after a cesarean section and a subtotal hysterectomy. This case confirms that severe preeclampsia may occur in patients with placenta previa and demonstrate that severe preeclampsia may occur after placental removal and even after subtotal hysterectomy, which removed most of the trophoblastic tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole versus placebo in acute uncomplicated Salmonella enteritis: a double-blind trial.

The role of ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) was evaluated in empiric treatment of uncomplicated Salmonella enteritis in a comparative, double-blind trial. Patients were randomized to receive ciprofloxacin (500 mg), TMP-SMZ (160/800 mg), or placebo orally twice daily for 5 days. There were 65 evaluatable patients with acute, uncomplicated, culture-confirmed Salmonella enteritis. Duration of diarrhea, abdominal pain, or vomiting and time to defervescence were not significantly different for patients treated with ciprofloxacin, TMP-SMZ, or placebo; there also were no significant differences with respect to full resolution of symptoms for ciprofloxacin versus placebo (point estimate, 0.2 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.5 to 0.9 days) or for TMP-SMZ versus placebo (point estimate, 0.2 days; 95% CI, -1.0 to 0.6 days). The rate of clearance of salmonellae from stools was not significantly different among the groups.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Characteristics of the spontaneous milk ejecting activity occurring during human lactation.

Continuous recordings of intramammary pressure performed in 158 normal lactating women, and 22 women during spontaneous labor were retrospectively analyzed in order to characterize spontaneous milk ejecting activity (SA). SA appeared as spurts of contraction waves as early as the first post-partum day and throughout the first two months of lactation. The spurts of SA differed from reflex milk ejection evoked by baby's suckling. It showed two different patterns: a) single contraction waves with a rapid rise time, a slow decay time, high amplitude and a short duration; b) multiple contraction waves with a longer rise and decay times, progressively decreasing intensity and a large duration depending on the number of contractions per spurt. The multiple pattern occurred in 34.2% (41/120) of patients at 2.7 +/- 0.1 days of post-partum and increased to 84.3% (59/70) at 34.5 +/- 1.2 days. Accordingly, duration and the area under contraction curves increased throughout lactation. Mammary gland sensitivity to exogenous oxytocin (OT) did not change during the 2 months studies. SA was significantly greater in full nursing mothers than in the partially nursing ones. The existence of a system for milk-ejection different from baby's suckling was further described. A neuroendocrine mechanism and the release of increasing amounts of OT are suggested as important factors in the control of this phenomenon.

Breast↗
PubMed1992

[Mortality caused by accidental suffocation during the first year of life].

We have analyzed the mortality due to accidental choking and suffocation during the first year of life that occurred in Spain from 1970 to 1980. The annual mortality rate due to choking caused by foodstuffs increased considerably from 1970 (5.7 deaths per 100,000) to 1977 (34.47 deaths per 100,000) and then declined slightly. Overall, mortality from this cause increased by a factory of five throughout the decade. This surprising evolution and its causes at a time when infant mortality is declining are discussed.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1991

Severe community-acquired pneumonia. Epidemiology and prognostic factors.

Over a period of 4 consecutive yr, 92 nonimmunosuppressed patients (21 women and 71 men aged 53 +/- 16 yr, means = SD) with critical acute respiratory failure (PaO2/FiO2, 209 +/- 9 mm Hg) caused by severe community-acquired pneumonia were admitted to the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) of a general hospital. The most frequent underlying clinical condition was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (44 patients, 48%). A total of 56 patients (61%) required mechanical ventilation for a mean period of 10.7 +/- 12.5 days, 29 of them (52%) needing PEEP (9.9 +/- 3.8 cm H2O). A group of 23 (25%) patients had criteria of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A causal microorganism was identified in 48 patients (52%), the two most frequent etiologies being Streptococcus pneumoniae (14, 15%) and Legionella pneumophila (13, 14%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5, 5%) was always associated with bronchiectasis. Mortality due to severe community-acquired pneumonia was 22% (20 patients). According to univariate analysis, mortality was associated with anticipated death within 4 to 5 yr, inadequate antibiotic treatment before RICU admission, mechanical ventilation requirements, use of PEEP, FIO2 greater than 0.6, coexistence of ARDS, radiographic spread of the pneumonia during RICU admission, septic shock, bacteremia, and P. aeruginosa as the cause of the pneumonia. Further, recursive partitioning analysis selected two factors significantly related to the prognosis: the radiographic spread of the pneumonia during RICU admission and the presence of septic shock.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Female↗
PubMed1990

Single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity prediction equations from a Mediterranean population.

Because of unanswered questions about prediction equations for the single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) and as part of a larger collaborative project, standardized DLCO measurements were carried out in a selected sample of 361 healthy nonsmoking volunteers (194 men and 167 women) living in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain). Except for the test FIO2 (0.18), the study essentially followed the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and European Community for Coal and Steel (ECCS) recommendations for standardizing the methodology of measuring DLCO. Prediction equations for ages 20 through 70 were calculated separately for both sexes. Simple linear equations using age, height, and body weight as independent variables predicted the DLCO indices (DLCO, VA, and DL/VA) as well as more complex equations. In addition, a complete analysis of the residuals (predicted measured values) showed that the assumptions of the multiple regression analysis (independence, homoscedasticity and Gaussian distribution of residuals) were fulfilled using simple linear equations. Correction for the instrumental and anatomic dead spaces decreased the DLCO an average of 4.7%. The standard error of estimates was lower than those reported from other series in the literature. The predicted values from this study were lower than those reported by some investigators and were in reasonable agreement with other studies. A portion but not all of the differences could be explained on the basis of recognized differences in testing methodology. The results of this study may be of value to clinical laboratories seeking predictive equations for DLCO most appropriate for their testing methodology and patient population, and may assist in the resolution of some controversies regarding differences among predictive equations for DLCO.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of workers exposed to cork dust, toluene diisocyanate and conidia.

A cross-sectional study on suberosis was conducted to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and the level of pulmonary function, and their relationships within job categories of exposure to cork dust, toluene diisocyanate (TDI) resin bonding and conidia, among cork workers. Exposure-response relationships, with confounders taken into account, showed specific associations between cork dust and chronic bronchitis, TDI and asthma, and conidia and symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Workers exposed to these risk factors had reduced mean spirometric values. A significant correlation between a decrease in pulmonary function and length of exposure was found for the workers exposed to cork dust. These results strongly suggest that suberosis, as hitherto described, might in fact be comprised of three different diseases with different etiologic risk factors, ie, respiratory hypersensitivity from exposure to conidia, asthma from exposure to TDI, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from exposure cork dust.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Iatrogenic illness in a department of general internal medicine: a prospective study.

The incidence and causes of iatrogenic illness in a department of internal medicine were studied prospectively in 1,176 patients admitted from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1986. A total of 295 patients (25.1%) developed 367 episodes of iatrogenic illness. Phlebitis occurred most frequently (75.2% of all iatrogenic events), followed by drug reactions (10.7%), contusion (4.6%), and urinary tract infections (1.4%). Nineteen patients developed life-threatening events (in 2 it was the cause of death). Etiologic agents included intravenous catheter (79% of all adverse reactions), drugs (9.5%), falls from bed (5.4%), diagnostic procedures (3.3%), and urinary catheterization (1.6%). Risk factors associated with iatrogenic illness were hospital stay longer than 12 days, female sex, poor general medical status on admission, intravenous catheterization, and intravenously administered antibiotics and anticoagulants. We conclude that in our hospital (a) 25% of the inpatient admissions to the general medicine service resulted in iatrogenic illness, (b) most iatrogenic illnesses were not severe (phlebitis), but 2 of 19 patients with life-threatening events died, and (c) the probability of developing iatrogenic illness generally depended on long hospital stay, poor general status at admission, and the use of both intravenous catheters and medication. In our patients, a reduction of hospital stay and a rational limitation of these procedures may diminish the rate of complications.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Lung function in the workers of a cromate producing industry.

Lung function and radiographic study was realized on 184 workers in a chromate producing industry (113 chronically exposed, 41 intermittently exposed and 30 unexposed). Prevalences were 22 (11.9%) cases of obstructive ventilatory pattern, 22 (11.9%) restrictive and 18 (9.7%) mixed. In the different ventilatory disfunction patterns, multivariant analysis in the three exposure groups, controlled by the tobacco variable, was statistically significant between exposure and restrictive ventilatory pattern (p = 0.0065). None of the workers presented radiologic alterations according to the ILO, 1980.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Inhibition of menstrual uterine motility during water diuresis.

Induced water diuresis blocks the central release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which is, in turn, supposed to play a role in the high uterine activity recorded during human menstruation. In order to further explore this possibility, uterine and antidiuretic activities were studied during water diuresis in 27 normal menstruating women, prior to the insertion of an intrauterine device. Shortly after the initiation of the water overload, simultaneous inhibition of both uterine and antidiuretic activities was obtained. Furthermore, the administration of ADH by intravenous infusion re-established the uterine motility to normal values while the administration of oxytocin did not. It is suggested that ADH has a direct role in the control of uterine activity during human menstruation.

Diuresis↗