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Biomedical subjects

E Torres

Publications and source records attributed to E Torres.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Comparison of octreotide acetate LAR and lanreotide SR in patients with acromegaly.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The most effective option for the medical treatment of patients with acromegaly is the use of somatostatin analogues. Long-acting depot formulations for intramuscular injection of two somatostatin analogues have recently become available: octreotide acetate LAR (Sandostatin LAR, Novartis Pharma AG) and lanreotide SR (Somatuline, Ipsen Biotech). We wished to compare efficacy of octreotide LAR and lanreotide SR in acromegalic patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A group of 125 patients with acromegaly (67 females; mean age, 47 years; 59 patients had previous pituitary irradiation) from 26 medical centres in France, Spain and Germany were studied. Before the study, all patients had been treated with intramuscular injections of lanreotide SR (mean duration, 26 months) at a dose of 30 mg which was injected every 10 days in 64 and every 14 days in 61 patients, respectively. All patients were switched from lanreotide SR to intramuscular injections of 20 mg of octreotide LAR once monthly for three months. In order to obtain efficacy and safety data of lanreotide SR under study conditions, it was decided to randomly assign at day 1, in a 3 : 1 ratio, the time point of the treatment switch; 27 of the patients were randomly assigned to continue the lanreotide SR treatment for the first 3 months of the study (group A); they were on octreotide LAR 20 mg from month 4-6. The other 98 patients were assigned to be switched to treatment with octreotide LAR 20 mg at day 1 (group B). In group B patients, octreotide LAR treatment was continued until month 6, with an adjustment of the dose based on GH levels obtained at month 3. RESULTS: The mean GH concentration decreased from 9.6 +/- 1.3 mU/l at the last evaluation on lanreotide SR to 6.8 +/- 1.0 mU/l after three injections of octreotide LAR (P < 0.001). The percentages of patients with mean GH values < or = 6.5 mU/l (2.5 microg/l) and < or = 2.6 mU/l (1.0 microg/l) at the last evaluation on lanreotide SR were 54% and 14%, and these values increased after 3 months treatment with octreotide LAR to 68% and 35% (P < 0.001), respectively. IGF-I levels were normal in 48% at the last evaluation on lanreotide SR and in 65% after 3 months on octreotide LAR (P < 0.001). Patients with pre-study pituitary irradiation had lower mean GH and IGF-I concentrations. But the effects of the treatment change did not differ between the irradiated and the nonirradiated patients. In general both drugs were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Octreotide LAR 20 mg administered once monthly was more effective than lanreotide SR 30 mg administered 2 or 3 times monthly in reducing GH and IGF-I in patients with acromegaly.

Acromegaly↗
PubMed2000

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide promotes the survival of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in vitro and in vivo: comparison with effects of nerve growth factor.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a member of the vasointestinal polypeptide gene family for which neurotrophic activity has been postulated. PACAP mRNA is expressed in the developing and adult hippocampus, which is the principal target region of septal cholinergic neurons. We therefore studied the effects of PACAP on septal cholinergic neurons. In primary cultures from septum of embryonic and postnatal rats, PACAP increased the number of neurons immunohistochemically stained for the low-affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor p75 and for the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). PACAP also caused a corresponding increase in ChAT activity. In comparison, NGF had a greater effect than PACAP on the number of p75- and ChAT-positive neurons in these cultures. In vivo, following fimbria fornix transection, the number of immunohistochemically stained septal cholinergic neurons fell significantly to 18% in rats given continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of vehicle, whereas in rats given NGF the number of these neurons did not differ significantly from unoperated controls. In PACAP-treated rats the number was 48% of unoperated values, which represented a significant increase compared with vehicle-treated rats and a significant decrease compared with NGF-treated rats or unoperated controls. Double-staining experiments revealed that most ChAT-positive neurons in rat medial septum also express PACAP receptor 1. Together the results show that PACAP promotes the survival of septal cholinergic neurons in vitro, and after injury in vivo, suggesting that PACAP acts as a neurotrophic factor influencing the development and maintenance of these neurons.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

[Prevalence of the activated protein C resistance in indigenous and Black populations of the western Venezuela].

The Activated Protein C Resistance (APCR) is the common phenotype of Factor V Leiden (arg506gln), which is considered as a thrombotic risk factor. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of APCR and its association with Factor V Leiden in indian and black populations from Zulia State in western Venezuela. Blood samples were taken from 80 Yukpa indians from Sierra de Perijá and 91 black individuals from the southeast of Lago de Maracaibo. APCR was determined by the Dahlback's method with the modifications of Jorquera et al. and Trossaert et al. The results were expressed as n-APC-SR (positive value < or = 0.75). Factor V Leiden genotype was identified by PCR and restriction analysis standard methods at the Institute of Human Genetics (Greifswald, Germany). No significative difference was found between n-APC-SR from indians (mean +/- SEM 1.13 +/- 0.02, CI 95% = 1.07-1.19) and black people (1.07 +/- 0.02, CI 95% = 1.03-1.12). APCR prevalence from indians was 1.25% (1 out of 80) who was heterozygote case for F V Leiden and 4.4% (4 out of 91) from blacks (one case was heterozygous for F V Leiden). No thrombotic event personal or familial was demonstrate. Our data represent the first report related to the association between APCR and F V Leiden in venezuelan indian and black individuals. APCR without the Factor V Leiden expression suggest a different type of mutation in the Factor V molecule. In spite of high endogamy in the indian group, we can not discard the role of foreign genes in both populations. The determination of the prevalence of this phenotype and its molecular marker in various ethnic groups is important for the interpretation of their role as risk factors for thrombotic disease.

Activated Protein C Resistance↗
PubMed2000

Sagittal changes after maxillary protraction with expansion in class III patients in the primary, mixed, and late mixed dentitions: a longitudinal retrospective study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the sagittal response of Class III patients in the primary, mixed, and late mixed dentition phases fitted with a protraction mask and expansion. The before-and-after cephalometric records of 112 patients divided by gender were analyzed at age groups 3 to 6, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12 years to assess the maxillary, mandibular, and intermaxillary sagittal changes. Data were correlated by means of paired t tests and Scheff¿e multiple contrasts. The study showed: (1) descriptive statistics and the before-and-after results in males and females in the different age groups; (2) the changes in males and females, disregarding age; and (3) the changes at the different ages, disregarding gender. Results show no significant differences between males and females in most of the angular and linear measurements at different ages. Greater significant changes were seen in patients treated in the primary and mixed dentition phases. Females showed highly significant changes in most linear and angular measurements between the ages of 3 and 6 years (P <.0001) compared with males (P <.05 ) at the same age. Significant changes were seen in the angle between the anterior part of the maxilla and the base of the skull (SNA), the maxillary depth, and the facial convexity angles, being more active in females than males. In contrast, the angle between the anterior part of the mandible and the base of the skull (SNB) showed no significant changes in all age groups, with the exception of males between 3 and 6 years. Even if correction can be achieved in all age groups, we recommend that treatment be started as soon as the diagnosis is made and cooperation allows for it. Young patients show greater and faster results in less time. Esthetics are greatly enhanced, compliance is improved, and the possible psycho-social scars can be greatly reduced.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV-infected patients: a randomized trial comparing meglumine antimoniate with amphotericin B. Spanish HIV-Leishmania Study Group.

BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis is common in patients with HIV infection living in endemic areas, but the most effective and safe treatment remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of meglumine antimoniate versus amphotericin B in HIV-infected patients with first episodes of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). DESIGN: An open, multicentre, prospective and randomized trial. SETTING: Twelve tertiary hospitals. PATIENTS: Eighty-nine consecutive HIV-infected patients diagnosed with VL. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either meglumine antimoniate (20 mg pentavalent antimony per kilogram of body weight per day) or amphotericin B (0.7 mg/kg per day) both for 28 days. Treatment was considered successful if a bone marrow aspirate performed 1 month after the end of therapy did not detect parasites. Relapse was defined as the reappearance of parasites after an initial cure. RESULTS: An initial cure was attained in 29 of 44 patients (65.9%) randomly assigned to treatment with meglumine antimoniate and 28 of 45 (62.2%) randomly assigned to treatment with amphotericin B. The incidence of moderate to severe adverse events was similar in both groups. The patients treated with meglumine antimoniate had higher incidences of cardiotoxicity (14 versus 0%, P = 0.02) and chemical pancreatitis (30 versus 0%, P < 0.01). However, in the amphotericin B group, nephrotoxicity was more frequent (36 versus 5%, P < 0.01). There was no difference in survival or relapse-free interval according to the allocated group of therapy. CONCLUSION: Treatment of VL with meglumine antimoniate or amphotericin B was shown to have similar efficacy and toxicity rates in Spanish HIV-infected patients. The differences in the toxicity patterns could be useful in choosing one of these agents as first-line treatment.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1999

A comparison of the relative sensitivity of structural and functional cellular responses in the alga chlamydomonas eugametos exposed to the herbicide paraquat.

The effect of the herbicide paraquat on the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas eugametos was studied in function of different parameters such as growth, elemental composition, total lipids, and photosynthetic pigments content and others assayed by flow cytometry (cell viability, cell volume, and granularity). The study reveals that paraquat concentrations above 0.15 microM are toxic for the microalga C. eugametos, inducing an inhibition of all the physiological parameters analyzed and strong structural changes. However, lower concentrations cause alterations in certain cellular components that are especially sensitive to the toxic action of the herbicide; so total lipids and photosynthetic pigments content are affected by concentrations such low as 0.037 microM. Taking into account these results, these parameters are better indicators of the cellular state than data on biomass or growth rate.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

Rice cell culture as an alternative production system for functional diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies.

We investigated the suitability of transformed rice cell lines as a system for the production of therapeutic recombinant antibodies. Expression constructs encoding a single-chain Fv fragment (scFvT84.66, specific for CEA, the carcinoembryonic antigen present on many human tumours) were introduced into rice tissue by particle bombardment. We compared antibody production levels when antibodies were either secreted to the apoplast or retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) using a KDEL retention signal. Production levels were up to 14 times higher when antibodies were retained in the ER. Additionally, we compared construct sencoding different leader peptides (plant codon optimised murine immunoglobulin heavy and light chain leader peptides from mAb24) and carrying alternative 5' untranslated regions (the petunia chalcone synthase gene 5' UTR and the tobacco mosaic virus omega sequence). We observed no significant differences in antibody production levels among cell lines transformed with these constructs. The highest level of antibody production we measured was 3.8 micrograms g-1 callus (fresh weight). Immunological analysis of transgenic rice callus confirmed the presence of functional scFvT84.66. We discuss the potential merits of cell culture for the production of recombinant antibodies and other valuable macromolecules.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed1998

Correlation between serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient and endoscopic parameters of portal hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the correlation between the level of serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient (SAAG) and the complications of portal hypertension (PHTN), manifested by the presence and grade of esophageal varices (EV). METHODS: Our study included 31 patients with ascites, demonstrated by ultrasonography, who had measurement of the SAAG. All had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with assessment of the presence and size of EV. High SAAG was considered to be present when the SAAG was > or = 1.1 g/dl and Low SAAG when it measured < 1.1 g/dl. RESULTS: We found that 25 of 31 (80.6%) patients had High SAAG and six of 31 (19.4%) had Low SAAG. Esophageal varices were present in 17 of 25 (68%) patients with High SAAG and in none of six (0%) patients with Low SAAG (p = 0.028). In patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), 14 of 14 (100%) had EV. Otherwise, in patients with nonALD, only three of 11 (27.3%) had EV (p < 0.05). The presence of EV was associated with the Child-Pugh Score (p = 0.039). Among patients with High SAAG, EV were present in four of 10 (40%) with SAAG values of 1.10-1.49 g/dl; in four of 6 (66.7%) with SAAG values of 1.50-1.99 g/dl; and in nine of nine (100%) with SAAG values of > or =2.0 g/dl (p = 0.049). The size of the EV had no association with the level of SAAG in patients with High SAAG (p = 0.788), with a Pearson correlation coefficient of R = 0.54 (p = 0.005). Using the Receiver-Operating-Characteristic Curve a SAAG value of > or =1.435 +/- 0.015 g/dl was an accurate indicator of the presence of EV (cutoff point for the higher predictive value: positive = 87.5% and negative = 66.7%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ascites the presence of EV is associated only with patients with High SAAG. The presence of EV in patients with ascites and High SAAG is directly related to the degree of SAAG. The size of the EV in patients with ascites and High SAAG is not associated with the degree of SAAG. A SAAG value of > or =1.435 +/- 0.015 g/dl is a useful means to predict the presence of EV in patients with ascites. Finally, in patients with ascites, EV were more prevalent in those with ALD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Comparative accuracy of glucose monitors.

BACKGROUND: Self-monitoring of blood glucose levels has become an important instrument for the management of patients with diabetes mellitus. Both patients and physicians expect that the monitors will provide reliable results. Numerous environmental, physiologic, and operational factors can affect system performance, yielding results that are inaccurate or unpredictable. METHODS: This study examined the effect of one factor--high altitude--on the performance of seven blood glucose monitoring systems. The following monitors were compared: two One Touch II; two One Touch Basic; two Reflolux II (Accu-Chec in the USA); two Glucometer 3; one Glucometer 2, and one Accutrend Alpha. Double blood glucose level values were compared with a controlled reference laboratory test value, which was unknown to the investigator until the end of the study because the study was double blind. Blood glucose values were obtained using each of the monitors in 200 patients; 150 with diabetes mellitus, and 50 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The One Touch monitors were the only monitors that reported adjusted straight lines (Y = a+bX) that were very similar for all three techniques. In addition, these adjusted straight lines are those closest to the ideal line, Y = X. These same monitors were the only ones that did not reject the null hypothesis Ho: a = 0. The relative deviation index at the 20% level was less than 3.5% for the One Touch II and One Touch Basic monitors; for the rest of the monitors, the index was over 14%. The clinically accepted EGA region was similar for all study monitors. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the One Touch II and One Touch Basic Monitors showed greater accuracy in comparison to the other devices. The evaluation of the clinically acceptable region shows practical reliability for all of the monitors used.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Spermine does not compete with omega-conotoxin GVIA in the striatum radiatum of the hippocampal slice.

The effect of spermine (Spm) and of omega-conotoxin GVIA (CTX) on the population excitatory postsynaptic potentials (pEPSP) in stratum radiatum of the CA1 area were compared. CTX decreased irreversibly the initial slope of pEPSP by 57%. Spm produced a maximum inhibition of 85% with an apparent dissociation constant of 0.85 mM and a maximum Hill coefficient larger than 3. The effect of Spm was mostly reversible. Preincubation with Spm did not protect the slice from the irreversible effect of CTX suggesting that they interact with different sites. Since CTX and Spm inhibited pEPSPs with very different affinities and reversibilities a kinetic model was developed to compare their effects. This model relates the inhibitors' binding to presynaptic voltage-activated Ca2+ channels (VACC) with inhibition of pEPSP. The model suggest that: all CTX and Spm effects can be explained by inhibition of VACC. Spm and CTX do not compete for the same site. CTX inhibits 20% (N-type) and Spm 40% of channels (probably the Q-type). More than three Spm molecules bind per one channel molecule, while one CTX is sufficient to inhibit channel function. The model also illustrates that the inhibitor concentration-pEPSP inhibition curves display a Hill coefficient similar to that for inhibitor binding.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Stability of malaria in a community in Bataan, the Philippines: prospects for control.

Malaria in Morong, Bataan, The Philippines, a municipality with relatively low level, but stable malaria is associated with small foci of relatively high endemicity. Although there is little association between age and symptomatic malaria, there is a reservoir of asymptomatic cases which are present throughout the year. Risk analysis suggests that the greatest risk factor in acquiring malaria depends on place of residence and not on occupation, including those associated with forest activities such as charcoal making. Foci of infection and the timing of symptomatic cases is closely correlated with breeding sites and abundance of adult Anopheles flavirostris. In spite of this close association, widely held views in the community that malaria is not related to mosquito transmission are likely to make better malaria control based on vector control difficult to sustain. Observation of treatment practices in the community and estimates of the number of apparently asymptomatic carriers from active case detection illustrate the importance of delayed treatment in providing a continuing reservoir of infection. These results highlight the need for improved early case detection and treatment.

Antibodies, Protozoan↗
PubMed1997

Postpartum adrenal, pituitary and ovarian functions in dairy cows.

Postpartum stress and the resumption of pituitary and ovarian functions were investigated in 29 dairy cows during the first month after calving. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, 25 i.u., IM) challenge tests for adrenal function at 8 and 22 days postpartum and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH, 50 micrograms IM) challenge tests for pituitary function at 7 and 21 days postpartum were conducted. Ovarian function, particularly the interval to first ovulation, was evaluated through weekly rectal palpation and ultrasonographic examination, as well as thrice weekly milk progesterone levels. Elevated basal cortisol levels were found in 24.1% and 20.7% of cows at 8 and 22 days postpartum, respectively. Adrenal response to ACTH was similar at 8 and 22 days postpartum with low, medium and high peak responses in 13.8%, 62.1% and 24.1% of cows, respectively. A moderate correlation was observed between basal and peak cortisol levels. Peak pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) response was low in 65.5%, medium in 27.6% and high in 6.9% of cows at 7 days postpartum. Pituitary responsiveness improved by day 21 with low in 34.5%, medium in 37.9% and high in 27.6% of cows. About a week after calving, a negative correlation between peak cortisol and peak LH levels was observed. First ovulation occurred in 28%, 48% and 17% of postpartum cows during the second, third and fourth week, respectively. These results indicate a negative effect of peak cortisol levels on pituitary responsiveness to GnRH stimulation during the first week, altered adrenal and pituitary function in a third of the cows until the third week and restoration of ovarian function in most cows (93%) a month after parturition.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1996

Misidentification of a Philippine malaria vector revealed by allozyme and ribosomal DNA markers.

Morphologically identified Anopheles flavirostris (Diptera: Culicidae), the principal malaria vector in the Philippines, comprised two species in collections from the Bataan Province of Luzon based on allozyme and internal transcribed spacer 2 ribosomal DNA analysis. Seven percent of morphologically identified specimens were the closely related nonvector An. filipinae. Morphologic variability of An. filipinae may account for some of these misidentifications. Genetic identification tools promise to be useful not only for verifying the identification of morphologically defined taxa but also for detecting the presence of morphologically indistinguishable sibling species in the Philippines.

Animals↗