PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F García

Publications and source records attributed to F García.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Nasal granuloma caused by Scedosporium apiospermum in a dog.

A 10-month-old male American Staffordshire terrier was presented to the Autonomous University of Barcelona Veterinary Teaching Hospital because of a 6-month history of a mucopurulent bilateral nasal discharge. The dog had not responded to antibiotics. A follow-up X ray revealed a mixed pattern of osteolysis and increased radiodensity confined to the nasal cavity. Histologic sections of the biopsy specimens revealed the presence of granules containing numerous septate hyphae that were hyaline to pale brown and smooth, one-celled, subspherical-to-elongate conidia that were hyaline to brownish green, and bacteria. Cultures yielded numerous colonies belonging to Scedosporium apiospermum. Susceptibility tests were performed on the isolated strain. The isolate was sensitive to ketoconazole, intermediate to clotrimazole, and resistant to amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, and itraconazole. The dog was treated with oral ketoconazole. During the treatment a general improvement in the lesions was observed. To our knowledge, S. apiospermum has not been implicated previously as an etiologic agent of nasal disease in dogs. This report provides its first description as such.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Examination of the thoracic cavity and lung lobectomy by means of thoracoscopy in dogs.

The feasibility of thoracoscopy for viewing the chest cavity and performing pulmonary lobectomy was assessed in 8 mongrel dogs. Previously, selective intubation had been performed in another group of dogs (n = 8) in order to monitor respiratory physiology and assess its safety. Each hemithorax was intubated using a double-barrelled endotracheal tube with one barrel placed in the left main bronchus and the other in the bifurcation of the trachea. The thoracoscope was introduced through a cannula inserted through a 2-cm incision at the ventral third of the left 5th intercostal space. The cranial, dorsal, and caudal surfaces of the pleura, lobes of the left lung, and the mediastinum were examined. A 2nd cannula was located in the dorsal 3rd of the 5th intercostal space with a prior incision and used for the introduction of forceps to separate the viscera. To biopsy, a 3rd cannula was inserted at the dorsal third of the 8th intercostal space with a prior incision, through which a 12-mm diameter stapler was introduced. Should a lobectomy be necessary, a 4th cannula is located in the middle third of the 4th intercostal space. Excision of the left caudal pulmonary lobe was performed through the incision made for the 12-mm diameter cannula (8th intercostal space); a twisting movement facilitated removal. Thoracoscopy is a procedure that can be used in dogs and is particularly suitable for examination, collection of biopsy specimens, and even lung lobectomies.

Anesthesia, General↗
PubMed1998

[Thoracic SPECT using (111 In-DTPA-D-Phe1)-octreotide in bronchial carcinoid syndrome].

We describe two cases of bronchial carcinoid tumour detected by (111In-DTPA-D-Phe1)-octreotide scintigraphy. The SPECT of the thoratic region provided a better images of the primary tumour than the planar images. In one of the patients, the bronchial carcinoid tumour was associated with sarcoidosis, which led to an erroneous evaluation of the extension of the tumour.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Obesity in Chilean preschool children: anthropometric evolution and socioeconomic determinants].

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity among low-income preschool children has increased in Chile. AIM: To compare the anthropometric evolution of obese and non obese children from birth and to determine the influence of maternal body composition and socioeconomic variables with childhood obesity. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using a case control design, 237 obese, 449 normal and 54 overweight 4 year old low income children, attending 8 public outpatient clinics in Santiago, were studied. Anthropometric data since birth to the moment of the study was gathered from the clinical charts at the clinics. RESULTS: Z scores for height/age and weight/height were significantly higher at all ages, excepting height/age in boys at the moment of birth. At the moment of the study, obese and overweight children were four and one cm taller than the normal weight controls. Maternal body mass index (odds ratio 3.07), being a first child, having a working mother, to have a telephone at home and birth weight were the variables significantly associated with obesity, according to an adjusted effects analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The strong association of maternal and offspring obesity implies that the prevention of childhood obesity must consider health actions directed towards mothers as well.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

[Scintigraphic assessment of the severity of inflammatory bowel disease using Tc 99m exametazime-labeled leukocytes].

The aim of the work was to value the utility of semiquantitative scintigraphics indexes (GI) as predictive factor of activity grade of intestinal inflammatory process in patients with confirmed diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 64 patients have been studied (39 males and 25 females), mean age was 40,2 years (range: 18-88 years) with diagnosis of IBD in acute exacerbation confirmed by endoscopy and biopsy. In all patients was obtained abdominal scintigraphy with 99mTc-exametazine labelled leukocytes. The severity of intestinal inflammatory process was quantified using clinical indexes -Truelove-Witts index (TI) for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI), Harvey index (HI) for Crohn disease (CD)-, endoscopic index (EI) and haematological parameters: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hematocrit, haemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet count, fibrinogen and albumin level. In all the scans regions of interest were drawn over liver, spleen, bone, abdominal background and positive intestinal segments. Subsequently three GI were calculated: GI1, GI2 and GI3 for the scans obtained at 30 min (P) and 3 h p.i. (T). The evaluation of UC severity showed significant correlation between: 1) The GI1 P and T and TI, EI, ESR, leukocyte and platelet count; 2) The GI2 P and TI and EI; 3) The IG2 T and EI, hematocrit and platelet count; 4) The GI3 P and TI, EI, ESR and platelet count; 5) The GI3 T and TI, EI, leukocytes and platelet count. In the evaluation of CD was observed significant correlation between the GI1 P and GI3 P with the CDAI and EI, between the GI1 T and the GI3 T with the CDAI and ESR; the GI2 did not show significant correlation with any of the valorised parameters. In conclusion, the scintigraphic activity indexes based in the semiquantitative evaluation of scans obtained with 99mTc-exametazine labelled leukocytes showed usefulness in the evaluation of the IBD severity, especially in the UC. Among the studied indexes, IG1 seems the more accurate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Subtype distribution among intravenous drug users with chronic type C hepatitis in southern Spain.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) subtype distribution among intravenous drug users (IVDU), and patients without this risk of acquiring HCV infection, was evaluated. The patients included in the study were 51 with chronic type C hepatitis (36 IVDU and 25 coinfected by HIV-1), and 31 on haemodialysis. Genotyping was performed on 71 viraemic patients, with the following distribution: 25.4%, 1a; 54.9%, 1b; 8.5%, 3a; 7%, mixed (1a, 1b; 3a, 1a; 3a, 1b; 2 x 3a, 2a); 1.4%, 4; and 2.8%, non-typeable. When subtypes were related to IVDU practice, the statistical significance was p < 0.01 for subtypes 1a (48.5% vs 7.5%, for IVDU and non-IVDU, respectively) and 1b (16.1% vs 85.1%). No relation between HIV-1 coinfection and subtype distribution was observed among IVDU patients. The results suggest that among young IVDU of Southern Spain the emerging HCV subtype is 1a.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1997

[Survey of residents on their satisfaction after obtaining a hospital post].

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the degree of satisfaction of the resident physicians in an university hospital by the election of the speciality and the hospital, after the takeover of the workplace and in the course of their period of residence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to the 164 residents of the hospital to know the concordance between the initial expectations of the residents and the degree of current satisfaction, about the specialty and the chosen hospital. RESULTS: 149 out of 164 residents (90.8%) answered the survey. In what is referring to the elected speciality, 57% (85 residents) expressed to be satisfied or very satisfied by their election; 22% (33 residents) felt indifferent, and 21% (31 residents) were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied. In what concerns to the chosen hospital, 43% (64 residents) were satisfied or very satisfied; 29% (43 residents) indifferent, and 28% (42 residents) were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied. With respect to the degree of satisfaction by the exercise of the profession at the moment of accomplishing the survey, 98% (143/149) of the residents answered, and of these, 30% (43 residents) expressed to be satisfied or very satisfied; 28% (40 residents), indifferent, and 42% (60 residents), unsatisfied or very unsatisfied. In the degree of satisfaction influenced in a statistically significant way the group of speciality chosen (medical, surgical or central services) after the examination and the moment of accomplishing the survey; the number of order of the residents examination; to have or not to have a speciality wished before of the residents examination, and the year of residence underway. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of satisfaction of the resident physicians by the election of the speciality and of the hospital is relatively low. This fact outlines the suitability of the election system of the specialty.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Viral load in asymptomatic patients with CD4+ lymphocyte counts above 500 x 10(6)/l.

BACKGROUND: HIV-1-infected patients with a CD4+ lymphocyte count > or = 500 x 10(6)/l may be selected for antiretroviral treatment when viral load is above a given cut-off point. OBJECTIVES: To assess the stability of viral load measurement at CD4+ T-cell counts above 500 x 10(6)/l, and the proportion of patients selected for treatment if a cut-off point of 10,000 or 30,000 RNA copies/ml is used. DESIGN AND METHODS: Seventy-eight consecutive asymptomatic antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients with CD4+ lymphocyte counts > or = 500 x 10(6)/l, presenting for previously scheduled medical visits as outpatients, were enrolled. None of the patients had suffered from symptomatic primary infection or seroconverted within 6 months before enrollment. Two blood samples separated by a 1-month interval [day -30 (screening) and day 0 (enrollment)] were collected in an EDTA tube. Plasma was separated and frozen at -70 degrees C within 4 h of collection. HIV-1 RNA was quantified by polymerase chain reaction. CD4+ T cells were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Viral load was fairly stable, and only four (13%) out of 30 pairs had a variation > or = 0.5 log10. At day -30 and day 0, log10 HIV RNA levels (mean +/- SD) were 4.24 +/- 0.7 and 4.35 +/- 0.87 log10 copies/ml plasma (P = 0.23). The difference of the mean was -0.11 (95% confidence interval, -0.28 to 0.07). At day 0 (n = 78) mean +/- SD value was 35730 +/- 73700 RNA copies/ml (range, < 200-438480; median, 9331; 25th and 75th percentiles, 1518 and 37193, respectively). In 13 patients (16%) the viral load was < 2000 copies RNA/ml. Seven out of 10 patients, who fulfilled the criteria of long-term non-progressors (LTNP), had viral load > 10,000 RNA copies/ml, and two patients had > 30,000 RNA copies/ml. Only two of the 13 patients with CD4+ T-cell counts > 750 x 10(6)/l had viral load > 10,000 copies/ml. CONCLUSIONS: A single-point viral load assessment is enough in asymptomatic patients with CD4+ lymphocytes counts > or = 500 x 10(6)/l since plasma HIV RNA measurements obtained 1 month apart are fairly stable. Approximately 25% of these patients (including some patients with LTNP criteria) will be selected for treatment if 30,000 RNA copies/ml is used as cut-off point, and approximately 50% if the cut-off point is 10,000 RNA copies/ml. Viral load > or = 10,000 is very unusual in patients with CD4+ T-cell counts > 750 x 10(6)/l.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

HLA-B27 presents a peptide from a polymorphic region of its own molecule with homology to proteins from arthritogenic bacteria.

A possible mechanism for the pathogenesis of HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthropathies is that peptides from arthritogenic bacteria with homology to endogenous self-peptides presented by HLA-B27, including those derived from HLA-B27 itself, could elicit an autoimmune T-cell response upon infection. We report here that an undecamer corresponding to the polymorphic region of HLA-B27 spanning residues 169-179 is presented in vivo by the B*2701, B*2704 and B*2706 subtypes, but was not detected in the B*2703-bound peptide pool. This peptide binds to B*2705 in vitro with sufficient affinity to allow its natural presentation by this subtype, but it binds with low affinity to B*2703. In spite of homology of this peptide to proteins from arthritogenic bacteria, its binding specificity does not correlate with current evidence concerning association of HLA-B27 subtypes to ankylosing spondylitis, suggesting that presentation of this peptide is not the critical feature that determines linkage of HLA-B27 to this disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Lack of carboxyl-terminal tyrosine distinguishes the B*2706-bound peptide repertoire from those of B*2704 and other HLA-B27 subtypes associated with ankylosing spondylitis.

B*2704 and B*2706 are two closely related HLA-B27 subtypes, which differ from the common B*2705 by the Asp > Ser77, Val > Glu152, and Ala > Gly211 amino acid changes. In addition, B*2706 differs from B*2704 by the His > Asp114 and Asp > Tyr116 changes. In spite of their similarity B*2704, but not B*2706, was associated to ankylosing spondylitis in a same population. We have carried out pool sequence analyses of the peptides naturally bound to each of these subtypes, and of several individual peptide ligands. B*2704 and B*2706 shared with B*2705, among other features, their selectivity for Arg2 and their allowance for some aliphatic and aromatic C-terminal residues in their bound peptides. The main features that distinguished both subtypes from B*2705 were: 1) their failure to present peptides with C-terminal basic residues, and 2) their allowance for both polar and nonpolar residues at peptide position 3. A major difference between B*2704 and B*2706 was that C-terminal Tyr was prominent among the peptides bound to B*2704, but was not detected among those from B*2706. The use of Tyr as a C-terminal anchor motif is the only functional feature shared by the disease-associated B*2705, B*2702, and B*2704 subtypes that is absent in B*2706. This suggests that the ability of HLA-B27 to present peptides with C-terminal Tyr might be critical for its association to spondyloarthropathy.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

HLA-B27 (B*2701) specificity for peptides lacking Arg2 is determined by polymorphism outside the B pocket.

B*2701 differs from B*2705-by three amino acid changes: D-->Y74, D-->N77, L-->A81, and from B*2702 only by two: D-->Y74 and T-->I80. Tyr74 is located in the C/F cavity of the peptide-binding site, and is unique to B*2701 among HLA-B27 subtypes. Binding of natural B*2705 and B*2702 ligands to B*2701, and to mutants mimicking subtype changes, was analyzed. In addition, sequencing of the peptides bound in vivo by B*2701 and the Y74 mutant was carried out. The main distinctive feature of B*2701 was its presentation of peptides with Gln2. Synthetic analogs bound in vitro similarly as the corresponding ligands with Arg2. Moreover, both Gln2 and Arg2 were dominant upon pool sequencing of B*2701-bound peptides, and 2 of 8 natural ligands contained Gln2. Suitability of Gln2 was largely determined by the Y74 change, as indicated by: 1) binding of Gln2 analogs to this mutant, and 2) detection of Gln2 by pool sequencing of Y74-bound peptides. B*2701 bound peptides with C-terminal aromatic or Leu residues, and interacted with these motifs more strongly than B*2702. The Y74 mutation alone was not responsible for poor binding of peptides with C-terminal basic residues to B*2701, since they bound efficiently and at least one was presented in vivo by this mutant. Most peptides bound to the A81 mutant worse than to B*2705, but frequently better than to B*2701 or B*2702, suggesting that other subtype changes were compensatory. The peptide specificity of B*2701 suggests that this subtype may determine susceptibility to spondyloarthropathy.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Incomplete activation of Escherichia coli hemolysin (HlyA) due to mutations in the 3' region of hlyC.

Mutational analysis of the carboxy-terminal region of Escherichia coli HlyC was performed by site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of residue Val-127 or Lys-129 reduced the activity of HlyC to about 30 or 60%, respectively, of that of the wild type, while replacement of Gly-128 reduced the activity to less than 1% of the wild-type level. Complete inactivation of HlyC was caused by a double mutation, replacement of Gly-128 with valine and of Lys-129 with isoleucine. Analysis of culture supernatants from mutants with reduced hemolytic activity by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed the production and simultaneous secretion of nonacylated, monoacylated, and fully acylated HlyA forms, demonstrating impairment of the acylation reaction, possibly due to a decreased affinity of HlyC for the individual HlyA acylation sites.

Acylation↗