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G Valero

Publications and source records attributed to G Valero.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Motor threshold in transcranial magnetic stimulation: comparison of three estimation methods.

AIMS: Motor threshold (MT) is an important parameter for the practice of transcranial magnetic stimulation. Our goal was to compare three methods to estimate MT in a clinical setting. METHODS: Comparison of three MT estimation algorithms: 1) the Rossini-Rothwell method consists in lowering stimulus intensity until only five positive responses out of 10 trials are recorded, defining MT; 2) the Mills-Nithi method considers the MT as the mean of an upper threshold (10 positive out of 10 trials) and a lower threshold (0 out of 10 trials); 3) the supervised parametric method estimates the MT by fitting (mathematically and graphically) a sigmoid function on raw data obtained by stimulation at variable intensities. Six MT estimations (two per method) were recorded in a single session in 10 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The within-subject variation of MT (expressed as % of the mean MT+/-standard deviation) during a single session was of 8.5+/-7.2% for the Rossini-Rothwell method, 8.7+/-5.7% for the Mills-Nithi method and 9.5+/-4.0% for the supervised parametric method. No significant differences in variability of MT estimation were found between the methods, but the Rossini-Rothwell method was significantly shorter (half the number of stimuli compared to the two other methods). CONCLUSION: In our setting, Rossini-Rothwell method was superior to the two other methods. The variability of MT estimation measured in our study is important, yet acceptable for clinical applications. However, this variability can be a source of considerable errors in excitability studies and should be a focus of future research.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Laparoscopic nephrectomies: initial experience of a community hospital].

We present our initial experience with 34 laparoscopic nephrectomies performed in a 29 months period of time. 32% of the patients with renal tumor (clinical stage T1-T2) and the others for benign pathology. Average surgical time was 131 minutes (70-210). Average bleeding was 330 ml (50-2500). Average time of hospitalization was 2,7 days (1-14). 62% of patients were discharged to home between the first and second day post surgery. One patient with tumor required conversion to open surgery for an hilium bleeding. There were 3 serious complications (9%), included one patient died by septic shock and one lesion of left colon that required segmental colectomy. The results of this initial serie are promissory and a special care should be taken in selection of patients to achieve good results with low surgical morbidity.

Female↗
PubMed2003

Neoadjuvant radiation and chemotherapy in rectal cancer does not increase postoperative complications.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Neoadjuvant radiation and chemotherapy in rectal cancer reduces local recurrences and increases the rate of conservative sphincter surgery. However, an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality has also been observed. This study analyzed the operative difficulty and postoperative complications in patients with this treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 103 patients with rectal cancer, divided into two groups: group A, 53 patients undergoing preoperative radiotherapy with 45 Gy combined with chemotherapy, and group B, 50 patients with rectal cancer who received surgery after diagnosis. Both groups were homogeneous. The two groups were compared for both technical difficulty, using intraoperative data and rate of complications. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with regard to intraoperative or postoperative data. In group A there were 20 complications in 17 patients (32%) and in group B 22 complications in 19 patients (38%). The rates of perineal wound infection were similar. The percentage of anastomotic leaks was higher in group A. A greater number of anterior resections was performed in group A. CONCLUSION: Preoperative radiation and chemotherapy in rectal cancer does not increase postoperative complications and increases the rate of sphincter-preserving surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Laparoscopic gastric bypass in the treatment of morbid obesity. Preliminary results of a new technique.

INTRODUCTION: Gastric bypass is one of the most commonly used surgical techniques for the management of morbid obesity. It is usually done as an open surgery procedure, and in recent years surgeons have begun to perform it via the laparoscopic approach. The aim of this paper is to describe our surgical technique for laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) and present the short-term results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and January 2002 we operated on 50 patients with morbid obesity who met criteria for bariatric surgery. The patients had a mean age of 34 years and a body mass index (BMI) of 47. RESULTS: Conversion was necessary in 4 of the 50 patients (8%). Mean operating time was 181 min, with a difference of 60 min between the first 10 and last 10 cases. There was a 26% rate of complications, 14% of which were early (%<% 30 days) and 12% late (%>%30 days). Mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. CONCLUSION: LGBP is a technique with good short-term results as far as weight loss is concerned, although it has one of the most complex learning curves in laparoscopic surgery. Surgeons who regard gastric bypass as the technique of choice for the surgical management of morbid obesity should consider performing it via the laparoscopic approach.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the kidney. A case report].

A 27 years old female presented with diffuse abdominal pain, malaise, weight loss and a palpable mass in the left abdomen. Abdominal CAT scan showed a 18 cm heterogeneous tumoral mass that originated in the kidney. The patient was operated on and it was not possible to completely remove the mass. In the postoperative period the patient received chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide and adryamicin but the disease progressed and the patient died 16 months later. The pathological study of the surgical specimen disclosed a tumor with monotonous proliferation of small round cells with a basophilic nucleus and scanty cytoplasm with PAS positive granules. Immunohistochemistry was positive for specific neuronal enolase and CD99. Involvement of the urinary system with primary neuroectodermal tumors is very infrequent.

12E7 Antigen↗
PubMed1999

Aneurysm of the pulmonary trunk with patent arterial duct.

We present a 14-year-old female with a massive aneurysm of the pulmonary trunk occurring secondary to bacterial endocarditis of the patent arterial duct. Echo Doppler imaging, magnetic resonance and angiography confirmed the diagnosis. On intermediate follow-up after surgical correction, the echo studies and cardiac catheterization disclosed no residual lesions. The patient is now asymptomatic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Misleading manifestations of Coccidioides immitis in vivo.

We describe a case of coccidioidomycosis in which several unusual morphologic forms of Coccidioides immitis occurred in biopsy tissue from the right lower lung of a patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case where so many diverse morphologic forms were manifested in a single patient in the absence of typical endosporulating spherules. Immature spherules demonstrating segmentation mimicked morula forms of Prototheca spp. Certain elements resembled budding cells of Blastomyces dermatitidis. These consisted of juxtaposed immature spherules without endospores, a germinating endospore, or thick-walled hyphal cells. Branched, septate hyphae and moniliform hyphae consisting of chains of thick-walled arthroconidia or immature spherules were also present. Complement fixation and immunodiffusion tests performed on the patient's serum were negative for C. immitis, B. dermatitidis, and Histoplasma capsulatum antibodies. Fluorescent-antibody studies were carried out with a specific C. immitis conjugate. All of the diverse fungal tissue elements stained positive with a moderate to strong (2 to 3+) intensity.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Successful treatment of cryptococcal meningitis with amphotericin B colloidal dispersion: report of four cases.

Four patients with cryptococcal meningitis were treated with amphotericin B colloidal dispersion because of nephrotoxicity from prior treatment with conventional amphotericin B. The limited experience presented here suggests that amphotericin B colloidal dispersion is efficacious for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis, despite being undetectable in cerebrospinal fluid, and offers a potential therapeutic alternative for patients who cannot tolerate conventional amphotericin B.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1995

Control of myocardial reperfusion injury with hypertonic-hyperosmotic solution in isolated rabbit heart.

The effects of postischemic reperfusion were investigated in 14 isolated rabbit hearts in Langendorff preparation. Seven were controls and the others were reperfused with a sodium 7.5% and dextran 60 (60,000 MW) solution diluted with Krebs-Henseleit buffer to a sodium concentration of 150 mEq/l. The incidence of arrhythmias was lower in this group (p = 0.034). Coronary flow was higher than in controls (p = 0.035), the levels of isoenzyme MB of creatine kinase were lower than in controls (p = 0.035), myocardial water content was also lower (p = 0.047), and histological damage was reduced (p = 0.018). It was concluded that early reperfusion with 7.5% sodium chloride, 6% dextran 60 solution has a protective effect in the treatment of cardiac reperfusion injury.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Clinical isolates of Mycobacterium simiae in San Antonio, Texas. An 11-yr review.

During a period of 11 yr (1983-1993) 137 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium simiae obtained from 75 patients were identified in a University hospital in San Antonio, Texas. One hundred twenty-eight isolates (93%) were from a pulmonary source, four (3%) from blood, and five from other sites including skin, urine, lymph node, bone marrow, and brain. Of 62 evaluable patients, six (10%) had definite infection, nine (14%) had probable disease, and 48 (76%) were thought to be colonized. During the last 2 yr of the study (1992 and 1993), M. simiae became the second most frequently isolated nontuberculous mycobacterium at this institution surpassed only by Mycobacterium avium complex. There are limited data about effective treatment for this multidrug-resistant organism. New macrolides, quinolones, ethambutol, clofazimine, and aminoglycosides are promising therapeutic agents.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Activities of clarithromycin, ofloxacin, and clarithromycin plus ethambutol against Mycobacterium simiae in murine model of disseminated infection.

After 2 weeks of intravenous challenge with Mycobacterium simiae, ICR outbred mice were treated with clarithromycin, ofloxacin, or clarithromycin plus ethambutol for 4 weeks. All three therapy groups demonstrated a decrease in the level of infection in both the lungs and the spleen. There were no significant differences among the three treated groups in decreasing mycobacterial counts in the lungs; however, both ofloxacin and clarithromycin plus ethambutol were superior to clarithromycin alone in reducing the level of infection in the spleen. Results of the study suggest a potential role for these agents in the treatment of human M. simiae infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Subpleural lymph nodes in goat lungs.

Subpleural lymph nodes were found in more than 4% of 3245 goat lungs during a slaughterhouse survey of respiratory disease. Their frequency varied between flocks from 2% to as much as 27%. They were more common in feral goats than in crossbreds or Angoras. Their numbers were positively associated with carcass weight and the number of nodular muellerius lesions on the lung surface. Their distribution and architecture were different from the pulmonary lymphoid nodules described in cattle with dictyocaulus re-infection syndrome.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

A slaughterhouse survey of lung lesions in goats.

A survey of the lungs from 4284 goats killed at a slaughterhouse in the North Island of New Zealand during the winter of 1990 revealed only ten cases of non-parasitic bronchopneumonia. However, 41% of the lungs had lesions consistent with infection by Muellerius capillaris, 33% with Dictyocaulus filaria, and 8% with both species. The prevalence of parasitic lesions increased with age. The carcasses of goats with mild to severe Dictyocaulus filaria lesions were from 0.81 to 1.52 kg lighter than those without the lesions (p<0.001). The carcasses of goats with more than ten nodular (Muellerius capillaris) lesions were 0.75 kg lighter than those without the lesions (p<0.001). Twelve sets of lungs had lesions of chronic bronchiectasis. Nematode larvae were seen in the bronchial lumina of three of them. The microscopic appearance varied from a moderate dilatation of occluded bronchi which retained an intact epithelium, to large foreign-body granulomas where the remaining bronchial outlines were barely discernible. Multiple, very discrete, fibrous pleural plaques were found on the caudal lobes in two cases. Plaques of this morphology have not been described previously in the veterinary literature. Pleural adhesions were found in 350 cases (8.2%). The relatively higher frequency of pleurisy versus non-parasitic pneumonia suggests that pneumonia in goats in the North Island of New Zealand completely resolves in most cases.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Visual assessment of pneumonic area in ovine lungs.

Twelve veterinarians were asked to estimate the percentage of lung surface that appeared consolidated in eleven projected colour transparencies of pneumonic ovine lungs. The estimates were compared to the pneumonic area measured by image analysis. Although all observers had some experience in veterinary pathology there was considerable variation between individuals in the accuracy of their estimates. Large lesions were underestimated and small lesions overestimated by most observers.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Group A Streptococcus septicemia and an infected, ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with pharyngitis.

A 65-year-old man had a 3-day history of sore throat, fever, rigors, back pain, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The patient's daughter had group A streptococcus pharyngitis. The patient was found to have a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. He underwent resection of the aneurysm and right axillary femoro-femoral bypass graft. The patient died 40 hours after admission. Gram stain of the aneurysm showed numerous gram-positive cocci. Group A streptococcus grew from cultures of blood, throat, and aneurysm. The group A streptococcus was M type 3, T type 3 and produced streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A. This case is a very rare fatal complication of group A streptococcus pharyngitis.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Chondrodystrophy in calves associated with manganese deficiency.

A severe congenital chondrodystrophy in Charolais calves is described. Thirty-two calves were born on the same farm with shortened limbs and enlarged joints. Histologically, there was poor cartilage maturation with excessive amounts of rarefied cartilage matrix. There were degenerative changes in the chondrocytes and a severe reduction in the mucopolysaccharide content of all body hyaline cartilage. The cartilage matrix, when examined ultrastructurally, showed loose, disorganised fibres in a rarefied matrix, and extensive vacuolation of the chondrocytes. A low level of manganese was found in the liver of an affected calf. The pregnant cows were fed on apple pulp and corn silage, both of which are low in manganese.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inflammatory cells and ferruginous bodies in bronchoalveolar lavage in urban dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether high levels of atmospheric pollution modify the inflammatory cell count of the canine lung and to detect the presence of ferruginous bodies (FB) in the respiratory system. STUDY DESIGN: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed on dogs from four different areas of Mexico City and a rural area. With the BAL fluid recovered, total and differential cell counts were made, and ferruginous bodies were isolated by sodium hypochlorite digestion. They were counted by light microscopy and evaluated as a marker of exposure to particulate pollutants. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the total cell count or in the macrophage number between the five groups. The neutrophil count was statistically higher in dogs from the southwest area as compared to the northeast and rural areas (P < .05). The lymphocyte count was significantly greater in the southwest, also. The northeast part of the city showed the highest number of FB in BAL fluids. CONCLUSION: The most polluted areas, in terms of particulate matter, were the northeast and the northwest; those are the locations of heavy industry. In contrast, in the southwest, where more inflammation was seen, the highest levels of ozone were registered during the year.

Animals↗