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Biomedical subjects

E Torres

Publications and source records attributed to E Torres.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Sero-ascitic gradient of albumin: usefulness and diagnostic limitations].

The serum-ascites albumin (SAA) gradient has been defined as the serum albumin concentration minus the ascitic fluid albumin concentration. The SAA gradient is superior to the exudate-transudate concept to classify ascites, being a exact portal hypertension (PH) marker. An elevated SAA gradient (1.1 g/L or greater) correlates with PH, whereas a low gradient indicates no PH. The SAA gradient correlates well with PH in cirrhotic patients. It is also of particular utility to differentiate between congestive heart failure and malignant ascites without liver metastases (both of them with elevated ascites fluid proteins -AFP-). However, a low SAA gradient do not differentiate between tuberculous and malignant ascites. Consequently, there are still need for tests a cytology, culture for mycobacteria or ascites fluid polymorphonuclear cell count in some cases. The level of AFP, apart from the exudate-transudate concept, has some value for certain cases (a low level of AFP implicates a high risk of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). The SAA gradient should replace the AFP concentration as the initial test to classify ascites.

Albumins↗
PubMed1994

Technical aspects of adrenalectomy via operative laparoscopy.

Adrenalectomy is usually performed through a transabdominal or a posterior approach. These approaches are associated with a painful syndrome postoperatively and long hospital stay. We report a series of five successful laparoscopic adrenalectomies, performed on: a 35-year-old male with a 5-cm right nonfunctioning tumor; a 32-year-old female with a 1.8-cm right aldosterone-producing adenoma; a 17-year-old female with a 4-cm right adrenocortical adenoma; and a 33-year-old female with bilateral 3.5-cm right and 4.5-cm left pheocromocytoma. Single right adrenalectomy lasted between 2 h and 2 h 30 min and bilateral adrenalectomy 5 h and 30 min. No transfusion was required. The hospital stay was between 3 and 4 days. This technique adequately removes adrenal tumors surgically and results in less postoperative pain and rapid recovery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Comparative assessment of phenolphthalein and phenolphthalein glucuronide: is phenolphthalein glucuronide a better laxative?

BACKGROUND: Phenolphthalein is widely used as a safe and effective laxative. After oral administration, phenolphthalein is absorbed in the small bowel and is conjugated in the liver to phenolphthalein glucuronide which passes into the colon where it is deconjugated and the active compound, phenolphthalein, is released. Since phenolphthalein glucuronide does not undergo enterohepatic circulation it should theoretically have a more rapid onset of action and a lower threshold dose for laxation. The present study was designed to examine this issue. METHODS: Ten normal healthy subjects volunteered for the study. All subjects were administered placebo, phenolphthalein (at doses of 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 mg) or phenolphthalein glucuronide (at equivalent doses of 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 mg) in a random order. Stool weight, the frequency and consistency of stools, and the development of symptoms were recorded at 12-h intervals for 84 h. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the mean stool weight obtained within the first 24 h of administration of a 30 mg dose of phenolphthalein and its glucuronide equivalent compared to the values obtained with placebo. A further increase in the dose did not improve the therapeutic response. There was no difference between phenolphthalein and phenolphthalein glucuronide with respect to the rapidity of action, the threshold dose, effectiveness of laxation, or the frequency of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic response and side effect profile of the different doses favoured 30 mg phenolphthalein as the optimum laxative dose. Although theoretically superior, phenolphthalein glucuronide was not found to be a more effective laxative compared to phenolphthalein in normal subjects.

Cathartics↗
PubMed1994

Different responses of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to copper toxicity.

Different responses of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bohlin) to toxic copper concentrations were investigated. Besides the classical variables applied to toxicity studies in microalgae, such as growth or chlorophyll a content, other variables analyzed by flow cytometry were used. Toxic effects due to copper concentration were observed. Cell density reached in the stationary phase was reduced to 50% in cultures with 20 mg Cu/l, with respect to control cultures without copper. Cell light scatter properties (related to cell volume and intracellular granularity) and chlorophyll a fluorescence of microalgal cells were determined by flow cytometry analysis at the beginning of growth, 1 h after copper exposure, and when cultures reached the stationary phase (72 h). After 1 h of exposure to metal, no differences were observed, but when cultures reached the stationary phase, a gradual increase in the variables analyzed by flow cytometry was observed as the copper concentration increased. The increase in chlorophyll a fluorescence detected by flow cytometry was not correlated with an increase in the cell content of this photopigment, thus indicating an inhibitory effect of copper on photosystem II.

Chlorophyll↗
PubMed1993

Enhancement of amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and dopamine release in nucleus accumbens following excitotoxic lesions of the hippocampus.

This study tested the hypothesis that the hippocampus modulates dopamine-dependent function of the nucleus accumbens using behavioural and neurochemical evidence. Rats with bilateral lesions of the hippocampus induced by colchicine and kainic acid exhibited equivalent levels of spontaneous locomotor activity but a potentiation of the hyperactivity produced, dose-dependently, by D-amphetamine measured in photo-cell activity cages. The same rats subsequently received unilateral implantations of a microdialysis probe aimed at the nucleus accumbens and showed elevated levels of extracellular dopamine in response to D-amphetamine but no significant difference in basal values in comparison with sham-operated controls. The results are discussed in terms of functional interactions between the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens involving the control of mesolimbic dopamine release.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1993

Laparoscopic approach to the adrenal tumors.

Over the years, a number of different surgical approaches to the adrenal glands have been devised. The anterior transabdominal approach is considered to be a source of postoperative morbidity. However, this conviction can be changed. The laparoscopic approach was used in four patients. One had a right 5 cm nonfunctioning tumor, the second had a 1.8 cm right aldosterone-producing adenoma, the third patient had a 4 cm adrenocortical adenoma, and the fourth patient had a bilateral pheochromocytoma (tumor size was 3.5 cm and 4.5 cm in the right and left adrenals, respectively). Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum was used in three patients, but helium pneumoperitoneum was used in the patient with bilateral pheochromocytoma to prevent CO2 retention. Single right adrenalectomy lasted between 2 h and 2 h 30 min, and bilateral adrenalectomy lasted 5 h 30 min. The hospital stay was between 3 and 4 days. Unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy through laparoscopy can be performed safely and has the advantage of avoiding the muscular trauma related to laparotomy or rib resection necessary for the extraperitoneal approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Ultrastructural neuropathology in murine trisomy 16 hippocampal grafts.

Trisomy 21, Down syndrome individuals demonstrate Alzheimer's disease-associated neuropathology at post mortem. The amyloid precursor protein, one of the pathological proteins is encoded for on chromosome 21. Mouse chromosome 16 is syntenic to human chromosome 21 for the region spanning the amyloid gene. We have previously reported the appearance of Alzheimer's disease-associated neuropathological proteins in cortical grafts derived from Trisomy 16 mice at 4-6 months survival. This paper reports the ultrastructural observations of large and multiple deposits of intracellular lipofuscin within these trisomic grafts at 12 months survival along with increased numbers of free ribosomes, extended Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, membrane degeneration and abnormal axonal profiles. Similar but less severe neuro-degeneration is occasionally observed within 18-month-old normal, mouse hippocampal tissue and rarely observed in age-matched control grafts.

Aging↗
PubMed1993

[Hepatitis C in hemophiliac patients in Maracaibo, Venezuela].

Infection with the hepatitis C virus is one of the risks of transfusion therapy. Considering that in Venezuela, there are not enough data that permit one to establish the frequency of hepatitis C in transfused patients, the purpose of this work was to investigate the presence of anti hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies in 56 hemophilic patients from Zulia State, Venezuela. Thirty six (64%) had received fresh frozen plasma and/or cryoprecipitate. Another fourteen (25%) also received lyophilized F VIII or prothrombin complex; six patients (10%) were never transfused. The positive samples (EIA 2nd. generation) were reconfirmed by RIBA-2. Twenty two of the patients were positive for HCV. The presence of anti-HCV antibodies was mainly detected in patients that received more than 10.000 U of the deficient factor. Four of the patients with HCV were also positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The results suggest that although the transfusion of blood derivatives carries the risk of HCV transmission, our patients show a low prevalence of this disease, probably due to the infrequent use of clotting factors lyophilizates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Use of anti-D (Rh) IgG or intramuscular polyvalent human immunoglobulin in the treatment of chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura].

The present study compares the effect of the intramuscular injection of low doses of IgG anti-D or human polyvalent immunoglobulin (Ig) on the platelet count of patients with CATP. Forty patients (14 children, 26 adults), 11 who had undergone splenectomy, were divided in the following groups of treatment: 20 patients received a single injection of 300 micrograms of IgG anti-D, 6 patients received the same dose as above plus 0.5 mg/kg daily of prednisone v.o and 14 patients received 640 mg of polyvalent Ig. Each patient was sequentially studied by measuring peripheral blood parameters, reticulocyte index, direct Coombs' test and C3-C4 determinations. Their blood group and Rh factor had been previously determined. The platelet response was evaluated as refractory (no response) and favorable (platelet increment over 50,000/microliters compared with initial platelet count). Patients with a favorable response over a month were considered as a prolonged remission. The results showed a favorable platelet response in 74% of the patients that received a single injection of IgG anti-D alone (one of the patients was Rh negative) or associated to prednisone, and 42.8% of the cases when polyvalent Ig was used. The patients who had not undergone splenectomy obtained better results than the group with splenectomy (62% vs 45%) and children showed a better response than adults (78.5% vs 46.1%). Forty five percent of prolonged remissions (including the Rh negative patient) were obtained with both schemes of IgG anti-D administration and only 28.5% when polyvalent Ig was used. The remissions were significantly longer with IgG anti-D (p < 0.01). The hematological and serological parameters did not show any significant modifications in all the cases and there was no adverse effects with the treatment. In conclusion, the intramuscular injection of immunoglobulins, especially IgG anti-D, produce an increase in the platelet count in some patients with CATP, several of them can obtain prolonged remissions, particularly children and patients that had not received immunoglobulins previously. This treatment is safe, ambulatory, easy to administer, and relatively inexpensive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Hepatic actinomycosis presenting as liver mass: case report and review of the literature.

Primary hepatic actinomycosis is an uncommon entity. We report the case of a young man with past history of an appendectomy who presented with fever, weight loss and a liver mass that was initially suspected to be neoplastic. Percutaneous liver biopsy revealed actinomyces-like organisms. The patient was treated with intravenous and oral penicillin with good therapeutic response. Review of the literature and correlation between hepatic actinomycosis and previous appendectomy are considered.

Actinomyces↗