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Biomedical subjects

F Cunha

Publications and source records attributed to F Cunha.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

What is the effect of dizziness on the quality of life for patients with Meniere's disease?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of dizziness on quality of life (QOL) in Meniere's disease (MD) patients. METHODS OF STUDY: Fifty definite MD patients were submitted to the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), in and out of crisis. The DHI scores were correlated to age, sex, race, disease duration, unilateral/bilateral labyrinth involvement, duration/frequency of vertigo attacks, vestibular and auditory function, aural fullness, tinnitus, imbalance and functional disabilities. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA. RESULTS: During crisis, all DHI aspects scores were statistically higher (p < 0.001) than out of crisis. Out of crisis, a statistically significant correlation was found between physical, functional and total scores and bilateral involvement. CONCLUSIONS: QOL impairment is worse during a Meniere's crisis. Out of crisis, QOL impairment is greater in patients with bilateral involvement.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A study of the fish community structure in a tidal creek.

The fish assemblage in a mangrove tidal creek was studied in monthly collections between August 1998 and July 1999 in the quadrature low tide and high tide, using a fyke net of 30 m x 1.5 m and meshes of 8 and 10 mm. Simultaneously with the biological collections, temperature, salinity, pH, water transparency, and current speed data were obtained. The collections resulted in the capture of 36,873 fish representing 22 families and 52 species. Immature individuals abounded (63.8%), and among the adult specimens there was a larger number of females. The species Anchoa parva, Harengula clupeola, Genidens genidens, and Bairdiella ronchus, contributed to 84.9% of the total capture of fish, however the contribution in mass was of 55.2%, indicating a predominance of small individuals. A smaller number of fish and species seem to occupy the area in the period between August and December, in comparison to the period between February and July, when the larger aggregations appear, mainly of the species Anchoa parva, Harengula clupeola, Opisthonema oglinum, Genidens genidens, Diapterus rhombeus, and Bairdiella ronchus. The environmental factors, pH, water transparency, and rainfall seem to have an influence in the structure of the observed biological patterns.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A role for IL-18 in neutrophil activation.

IL-18 expression and functional activity has been identified in several autoimmune and infectious diseases. To clarify the potential role of IL-18 during early innate immune responses, we have explored the capacity of IL-18 to activate neutrophils. Human peripheral blood-derived neutrophils constitutively expressed IL-18R (alpha and beta) commensurate with the capacity to rapidly respond to IL-18. IL-18 induced cytokine and chemokine release from neutrophils that was protein synthesis dependent, up-regulated CD11b expression, induced granule release, and enhanced the respiratory burst following exposure to fMLP, but had no effect upon the rate of neutrophil apoptosis. The capacity to release cytokine and chemokine was significantly enhanced in neutrophils derived from rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid, indicating differential responsiveness to IL-18 dependent upon prior neutrophil activation in vivo. Finally, IL-18 administration promoted neutrophil accumulation in vivo, whereas IL-18 neutralization suppressed the severity of footpad inflammation following carrageenan injection. The latter was accompanied by reduction in tissue myeloperoxidase expression and suppressed local TNF-alpha production. Together, these data define a novel role for IL-18 in activating neutrophils and thereby promoting early innate immune responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Primary antiphospholipid syndrome presented by total infarction of right kidney with nephrotic syndrome.

We report the case of a young woman with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), which presented with acute renal failure, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and nephrotic proteinuria. Investigations showed total infarction of right kidney by extensive arterial and vein thrombosis and presence of anticardiolipin antibodies IgG isotype (anti-beta2-glycoprotein I-positive). She was submitted to right nefrectomy and initiated anticoagulant therapy. After nefrectomy, the postoperative period was marked by the development of arterial hypertension and persistence of nephrotic syndrome. Hypertension was treated with antihypertensive drugs (IECA, beta-blocker and calcium antagonist). As the nephrotic syndrome persisted despite anticoagulant and antihypertensive therapy, the patient was treated with oral corticosteroids. Her renal function improved, hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia corrected to normal values and proteinuria decreased to subnephrotic value. We discuss the unusual presentation of this case of primary antiphospholipid syndrome with total unilateral renal thrombosis and nephrotic syndrome that respond to anticoagulant, antihypertensive and corticosteroid therapy.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1995

Mucinous carcinoma of the breast: a pathologic study of 82 cases.

A series of 82 consecutive cases of mucinous carcinomas of the female breast was investigated for their clinical, morphological, and histochemical features and for the influence of some tumor characteristics on its prognosis. Two groups, a "pure" subtype (n = 58) and a "mixed" subtype (n = 24), were considered, according to the absence or the presence of concomitant areas with typical infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Eighty patients were followed with an average of 7.4 years. The actuarial survival was 58.5% at 10 years. The group of pure mucinous carcinomas showed a statistically significant better prognosis (P = 0.0007) than that of the group of mixed tumors, as well as a lower percentage of axillary nodal metastasis. Tumor dimension of both pure and mixed mucinous carcinomas influenced the prognosis, since patients with T1 tumors had longer survival than those with T2 tumors (P = 0.05) and the latter showed less mortality than T3 tumor cases (P = 0.036). Node-negative patients also had a more favorable outcome with lower mortality than node positive patients (P = 0.007). None of the T1 pure mucinous carcinomas had axillary metastasis, which may have implications for the surgical protocols. The evaluation of quantitative and qualitative content in mucosubstances did not correlate with the prognosis. However, sulfomucins were demonstrated in 30.5% of cases; this fact points to add breast carcinoma to the group of neoplasms that may present as a metastatic sulfomucin-producing adenocarcinoma.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1995

[Primary malignant neoplasms of the female genitalia].

A patient with synchronous multiple malignant neoplasms of the female genital tract, involving the ovary, the cervix and the endometrium is described. A 49-year-old patient, presenting pelvic pain and menometrorrhagia over the last six months. An abdominal and speculum examination revealed an abnormal mass occupying the entire left lower quadrant and a vegetating tumor of the cervix, respectively. Microscopic examination of the uterus and ovary revealed a cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary and an adenosquamous carcinoma of the cervix and an endometrioid carcinoma of the endometrium. The data suggests this is a multiple mullerian tumor. Due to treatment and prognostic implications, in the presence of a patient with a tumor involving different organs, we must not overlook differential diagnosis between primary and metastatic tumor.

Carcinoma, Adenosquamous↗
PubMed1992

Study of humoral immune response in mammals immunized with Plasmodium falciparum antigenic preparations.

Six Plasmodium falciparum protein fractions, isolated under reducing conditions, were used to immunize mice, rabbits and the squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus. Five or seven subcutaneous injections of each antigenic preparation, in conjunction with Freund's complete or incomplete adjuvants, were administered. This led to the development of specific antibodies detected by IFAT, ELISA or immunoblotting which inhibited merozoite reinvasion in in vitro P. falciparum cultures. This activity seems to be associated with rhoptry proteins contained in fractions Pf F2 and Pf F4.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Morphology of male breast carcinoma in the evaluation of prognosis.

We studied a series of 44 consecutive cases of male breast carcinoma over a 14 year period in order to evaluate the clinico-pathological characteristics and the impact of some morphologic factors on prognosis. The age of the patients ranged from 38 to 84 years (mean 62 +/- 10.8). All the patients presented a painless mass, associated with nipple retraction in 13 cases (29.4%), skin ulceration in 12 cases (27.2%) and nipple discharge in 6 (13.6%). Microscopically all the tumors were infiltrating ductal carcinomas, 42 being of the NOS type. A better survival was associated with low mitotic index, T 1 tumors and absence of peritumoral lymphatic permeation. However, only these two parameters had statistical significance and were found to have predictive value on the prognosis of the disease. The degree of differentiation assessed according to Bloom and Richardson's classification showed no influence on prognosis. Post surgical radiotherapy did not seem to influence the outcome of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Health care: a critical review].

Historic review of the medical care in a marketing context as part o Welfare State as claimed by economists. The medical work in our century may be inserted in services domain and it is no more a preoccupation of administrative neoliberal schedule. Instead, the financial issues entirely hold heart and mind of our governors.

Brazil↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Perinatal morbidity and mortality related to gestational infection. The histological identification of chorioamnionitis and its incidence in the population studied].

Infection of the embryo and foetus remains a major public health problem. It has been widely accepted as a major cause of spontaneous abortion, premature birth and morbidity and mortality of the newborn. Furthermore, many studies stress the role of chorioamnionitis in the onset of premature labor. We have found a significant incidence of chorioamnionitis in placentas examined in our laboratory, but we do not know the real prevalence of intra amniotic infection and the magnitude of its consequences. Furthermore, there is no data concerning the micro-organisms that can act as pathogens in our patients. The aim of this study was to better define the role of infection in pregnancy in our hospital. As a first approach we studied all the placentas that were sent to the Histopathology Department during 1993, trying to correlate histological findings with clinical data. We found that 38% of 280 placentas had histological criteria for chorioamnionitis, 33% of which were associated with fetal death. Only 13% of these cases had clinical signs of infection. These facts stress the need for a sensitive and selective method of identifying organisms that act as pathogens in intrauterine infection. It may be possible to prevent some of its complications if an earlier diagnosis and identification of the agent are done.

Chorioamnionitis↗