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Biomedical subjects

I Ruiz

Publications and source records attributed to I Ruiz.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Tenotomy of the tibial insertion of the semitendinosus muscle of two horses with fibrotic myopathy.

Two horses with fibrotic myopathy of the semitendinosus muscle are described. The report deals with the aetiology, clinical signs and diagnosis of the condition, and discusses the different surgical techniques described in the literature. Tenotomies were performed on both horses. Excellent results were obtained in the horse in which only the semitendinosus muscle was affected, but in the horse in which the semimembranosus and gracilis muscles were also involved the results were less satisfactory.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

ABO-haemolytic disease of the newborn (ABO-HDN): factors influencing its severity and incidence in Venezuela.

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of the Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn due to ABO blood group incompatibility (ABO-HDN) in the population of Caracas attending the Maternity Hospital 'Concepción Palacios'. The relationship between A and B antigens density of cord blood erythrocytes and the cytotoxic activity of antibodies in mothers' sera with the severity of the haemolytic disease, was also studied. From a sample of 245 blood group 'O' mothers, 68 gave birth to full term 'A' or 'B' blood group infants. The evolution of serum bilirubin and the routine haematological values, were followed in all the babies during 72 h after birth, allowing the diagnosis of ABO-HDN in 21 infants. Taking into account that in Venezuela the frequency of blood group 'O' is 59 per cent, it was concluded that in the general population of newborns, 16 per cent present foeto-maternal ABO incompatibility, and the incidence of ABO-HDN was near to 5 per cent. The density of the 'A' and 'B' antigens in cord red cells was studied using an immunoenzymatic assay. No statistically significant association between antigen maturity and severity of the ABO-HDN could be shown. A positive association was found between cytotoxic capacity of mothers' sera and development of ABO-HDN (P < 0.05). Twenty ABO incompatibles children presented moderate late anaemia at 3 weeks of age.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1995

The morphology of Laemobothrion (Laemobothrion) maximum (Phthiraptera: Laemobothriidae).

Adult specimens of Laemobothrion (L.) maximum (Scopoli, 1763), a buzzard louse species, were studied using scanning electron microscopy and paying special attention to sensitive structures, mainly those located on the head, mouthparts, abdomen and legs. Data on shape and size of palpl and antennal sensilla, as well as post-spiracular ones, were obtained. Some modifications of the mouthparts were observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Factors associated with the use of gynecology services by climacteric women: a case-control study].

BACKGROUND: The data and concepts described in the literature on menopausic women are based on observations and studies carried out in menopausic women attending medical or gynecological consultations and contrast greatly with the results obtained in women from a general population. METHODS: In a case-control study 505 women between 45-55 years of age, 142 having attended a gynecological consultation (cases) and 363 taken from a randomized sample of the general population (controls) were evaluated. Information concerning sociodemography, climacteric phase, psychic morbidity and psychosocial factors as stressing events, social support and adjustment and satisfaction with roles was collected in a personal interview. The odds ratio (OR) was used as the means of association and multiple regression analysis was performed to control possible confusing factors. RESULTS: The cases were fundamentally young women in a premenopausic phase of a high social class belonging principally to a group of widows, separated or divorcees and a group of married women with high levels of association (OR = 14.7; OR 12.14). The women attending a gynecological consultation were characterized by having greater risk of lacking social support (OR = 8.94), presenting a greater frequency of vital severely stressing events over the previous year (OR = 2.55), and demonstrating greater insatisfaction in social adjustment (OR = 2.42) particularly in their sexual and matrimonial relations. CONCLUSIONS: Women attending medical, specially gynecological, consultations during climacteric years are not representative of the population of women in these years as a whole. Purely pharmacologic management, principally substitutive hormonal therapy, was the most wide-spread treatment of preventive character should be reestablished in accordance with the results with the most manifold and multifactorial orientations and foci.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1994

[The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) infection in parenteral drug users].

BACKGROUND: Cohort studies estimating rates of incidence are scarce despite they are the most appropriate for following the epidemics of HIV-1 and evaluating the effectiveness of preventive interventions. The rate of incidence of infection by HIV-1 in intravenous drug users (IVDU) and the determining factors for such infection are estimated in the present study. METHODS: 3,693 IVDU attended in two centers for information and prevention of AIDS from 1987-1992, were included in the study. Out of 1,868 seronegative subjects, 579 attended a second visit in which a new serologic test was performed against HIV-1. The rates of incidence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated with a Poisson regression model being adjusted in order to control the confounding factors. RESULTS: The estimated global incidence was 11.7/100 people/year (CI 95%: 9.6; 14.46). Those highest rates were observed in IVDU who exchanged syringes (23.5/100 people/year), in those who had more than one sexual partner in the previous month (21.2/100 people/year), in those referring a history of prostitution (22.6/100 people/year), in carriers of hepatitis B antigens (25.6/100 people/year) and in the IVDU younger than 20 years of age (16.5/100 people/year). The variables which independently predicted the rates of incidence were: the exchange of syringes (RR = 6.85; CI 95%: 3.99; 11.75), having more than one different sexual partner in the previous month (RR = 3.51; CI 95%: 1.70; 7.20) and age, with lower risk in those under the age of 20 (RR = 0.49; CI 95%: 0.25; 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of infection by type-1 human immunodeficiency virus observed in intravenous drug users is the highest described in Western countries. Preventive measures in general must be intensified particularly in subgroups of intravenous drug users with the greatest risk of seroconversion.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Sharing of injection equipment among 3755 intravenous drug users in Valencia, Spain, 1987-1992.

BACKGROUND: In order to identify, in a sample of heroin intravenous drug users (IVDU), those factors associated with the predominant risk behaviour related to the transmission of HIV-1 infection--sharing of injection equipment--a cross-sectional survey was carried out in Valencia, Spain from 1987 to 1992. METHODS: Informed consent and pertinent data were obtained from 3755 heroin IVDU recruited at two public AIDS Information Centres in two cities in the region of Valencia. Data were gathered on sociodemographic variables, and sexual and drug use behaviour by interview. The subjects were subsequently tested for HIV-1 antibody. A univariate analysis was carried out to identify variables that were significantly associated with sharing injection equipment. A logistic regression model was used to control for possible confounders. RESULTS: The IVDU who were teenagers, prostitutes (OR = 1.95), who had antibodies to HIV-1 (OR = 1.30) or who had an IVDU steady partner were at significantly higher risk for sharing of injection equipment. Higher levels of education, condom use (OR = 0.65) and living in the smaller city (OR = 0.75) were inversely related to sharing injection equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that different subgroups of IVDU have different characteristics that place them at different risk for HIV-1 infection. These characteristics should guide the design and intensity of specific preventive interventions. Teenagers and IVDU with low educational levels should be targetted for special attention by health authorities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Comparative study on benzodiazepine use in Canada and Chile.

Benzodiazepines are the most prescribed psychotropic drugs in the world. Comparative international data on benzodiazepine use, specifically among developed and developing countries, are unavailable. To determine the different patterns of benzodiazepine use in two representative countries, use of benzodiazepines in Chile (a developing country) and Canada (a developed country) was undertaken. Wholesale data as provided by the Intercontinental Medical statistics and drug import data were used as databases. Data on trends of benzodiazepine use was determined for 5 years using the methodology recommended by the WHO for drug use research, the defined daily dose/1000 inhabitants/day. Total benzodiazepine use was similar in both countries, but Canadian use had increased slowly. Patterns of use, however, differ widely among the two countries. A linear increase of rapidly eliminated benzodiazepines was observed in Canada, whereas the reverse occurs in Chile: the slowly eliminated benzodiazepines are the ones that have increased use. Hypnotic benzodiazepines are used twice as frequently in Canada than in Chile. Striking differences in the use of individual benzodiazepines are observed. Differences in healthcare systems determine wide differences in the way these drugs are prescribed. Demographic characteristics of the two countries also may account for the differences in benzodiazepine use. The authors conclude that, although total benzodiazepine consumption is similar in the two countries, patterns of benzodiazepine use vary widely. The different patterns of use may determine differences in the morbidity rates associated with the use of these drugs.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1993

Social functioning as a significant factor in women's help-seeking behaviour during the climacteric period.

In order to identify the psychosocial factors that lead to the demand for medical care related to the menopause, we carried out a case/control study. A case was defined as a woman who sought gynaecological care due to "menopausal complaints" (n = 85) and a control referred to a woman drawn at random from the general population. The cases showed greater psychiatric morbidity and social dissatisfaction, a lower level of diffused social support and a higher frequency of severe life events and the controls showed greater social maladjustment in objective conditions. The multivariate analysis (logistic regression) carried out after adjusting all the relevant variables, indicated that the demand for medical care due to menopausal complaints was not only determined by the menopausal status itself but also by a set of social and demographic variables, especially dissatisfaction and a lack of social support.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1993

Pharyngeal bot flies (Oestridae) from sympatric wild cervids in southern Spain.

The prevalence of 2 species of pharyngeal bot flies parasitizing sympatric wild ungulates from southern Spain is given. Pharyngomyia picta was found in all red deer and fallow deer whereas Cephenemyia auribarbis was found in 59% of fallow deer and 81% of red deer examined. The mean number of P. picta larvae was 3-6 times more than that of C. auribarbis larvae. These data suggest that red deer are more heavily parasitized than fallow deer and that they are predominantly infested with P. picta larvae.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The influence of family expressed emotion on the course of schizophrenia in a sample of Spanish patients. A two-year follow-up study.

A sample of 60 Spanish schizophrenic patients was studied to ascertain the relationship between their relatives' expressed emotion (EE) and relapse at follow-up. The relatives' EE and patients' relapse were operationalised following Leff & Vaughn's criteria. At nine months a significant association was not found between the relatives' EE and relapse, but this association became significant on reclassifying the relatives' EE scores after decreasing to four points the cut-off point for critical comments. At 24 months no association was found between EE and relapse. There was a tendency for patients who interrupted their medication or who did not work to relapse more frequently, particularly among the high-EE group.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Short-term effects of celiprolol on blood pressure and left ventricular performance in hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Celiprolol (C) is a new selective beta 1-blocker with partial beta 2-agonistic activity. The purpose of this study was to explore its antihypertensive efficacy and its short-term effect on systemic vascular resistances (SVR), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and left ventricular diastolic performance (LVDP). The Doppler technique was used. In an open-label study, 20 hypertensive patients (15 males, 5 females, age range of 29-68 years) with left ventricular hypertrophy detected by echography were daily treated with 400 mg of C in a single dose, for a period of 4 weeks. C reduced significantly the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (158 +/- 12 vs. 142 +/- 11 mm Hg, p < 0.05 and 101 +/- 6 vs. 87 +/- 4 mm Hg, p < 0.001, respectively) with a decrease in heart rate (74 +/- 12 vs. 67 +/- 8 beats/min, p = NS). The SVR decreased significantly (2,050 +/- 22 vs. 1,495 +/- 23 dyn/s/cm5, p < 0.001) with a slight but not significant increase in the CO (4.5 +/- 0.69 vs. 5.11 +/- 0.82 L/min). The LVEF did not decrease significantly (58 +/- 5 vs. 56.9 +/- 6%, p = NS) while the LVDP was modified favorably, significantly reducing the early diastolic deceleration time (EDDT) (199 +/- 61 vs. 132 +/- 80 ms, p < 0.01) and reducing the isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) (167 +/- 16 vs. 117 +/- 23 ms, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Diagnostic value of ascites gamma interferon levels in tuberculous peritonitis. Comparison with adenosine deaminase activity.

The value of ascites gamma interferon concentration and ascites adenosine deaminase activity in distinguishing tuberculosis from other causes of ascites was examined in a prospective study of 86 patients with ascites, including 16 with tuberculous peritonitis. Gamma interferon concentration was higher in tuberculous peritonitis than in the other causes of ascites (p less than 0.0001), and a cut-off between 3 and 9 u/ml reached a sensitivity and a specificity of 100%. The mean (+/- SD) gamma interferon level in tuberculous ascites was 39.3 +/- 18.3 u/ml in patients seronegative for HIV and 14.2 +/- 4.7 u/ml in patients with AIDS (p = 0.01). Adenosine deaminase activity in tuberculous ascites was also higher than in the other causes of ascites (p less than 0.0001), and a cut-off of 40 u/l reached a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97%. The two false positives for adenosine deaminase test were true negatives for the gamma interferon test. There was no significant correlation between gamma interferon concentration and adenosine deaminase activity either in tuberculous ascitis or in any other group. This study suggests that ascites gamma interferon determination may be very useful in the screening of tuberculous peritonitis, but its cost makes it advisable to use adenosine deaminase activity as a routine test, at least in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1991

[The experimental production of abdominal wall defects in the chick embryo].

We have developed experimental models of gastroschisis and celosomias (omphalocele and Cantrell's pentalogy) in the chick embryo. They were obtained by operation "in ovo" and early aspiration of 5 ml of egg albumin respectively. We have observed 42 gastroschisis out of 184 operated embryos and 12 exomphalos and 20 pentalogies out of 528 aspirated embryos. These models enable us to study the biology of malformed fetuses.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1990

[Gamma interferon and adenosine deaminase in pleuritis].

The concentration of gamma interferon (IFN gamma) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity were measured in the pleural fluid of 162 patients to compare their diagnostic significance and to establish a possible correlation between both tests. The IFN gamma levels in tuberculous pleural effusions were quite variable, with a mean of 93 U/ml and a median of 48 U/ml. They were higher than 2 U/ml in all cases, whereas no case of nontuberculous effusion showed higher values. ADA activity was higher than 43 U/l in all tuberculous effusions, with a mean value of 80 U/l, higher than in any other group except lymphoma. In three pleural effusions associated with lymphoma, one with mesothelioma, one with adenocarcinoma and four with empyema, ADA activity was higher than 43 U/l. In these patients, IFN gamma levels were low. There was no correlation in the whole series or in any group between IFN and ADA. Both parameters can be very useful for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis. The measurement of IFN gamma is more specific, although the experience with this test is more limited than with ADA. It has the additional shortcoming of a high cost and it requires facilities for radionuclide use. Therefore, we think that ADA measurement should be considered as a routine test while IFN gamma measurement should be reserved for reference institutions.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1990

Spina bifida: a chick embryo experimental model.

Neural Tube Defects (NTD) can be induced in the chick embryo with relative ease in order to provide an experimental tool for investigation of such disabling malformations. Domestic hen (Gallus gallus) eggs were incubated at 37.5 degrees C and 80% humidity for 24 h. At that moment, 5 ml of albumen were aspirated by sterile puncture of the shell, and the incubation was resumed. The embryos were recovered and studied at the 8th, 10th and 14th days. Almost half (45%) of the 602 treated embryos survived and 73 of them (12%) had various malformations. Thirty-six (6%) suffered NTD of which 30 were open myelomeningocele, 2 meningocele and 4 encephalocele. The anatomy of the defects was astonishingly similar to that of the human malformation. Whether these experimental NTD are induced by mechanical or nutritional modifications of the internal environment of the egg is unknown, but the similarity of the lesion with those in humans make them suitable for further investigation of these issues. We believe that this relatively simple and inexpensive model is a suitable tool for research on spina bifida.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Body composition of goat kids during sucking. Voluntary feed intake.

The body composition of thirty-eight Granadina goat kids was measured. Six animals were slaughtered at birth while the remainder were kept individually at an environmental temperature of 24 +/- 2 degrees and a relative humidity of 60 +/- 5%. They were given goat's milk or a milk-substitute at two planes of nutrition until 15 or 30 d of age and then slaughtered. The goat's milk and milk-substitute contained 260.4 and 222.0 g digestible protein/kg and 23.23 and 20.85 MJ metabolizable energy/kg respectively. Voluntary feed intake as metabolizable energy was a function of metabolic body-weight (kg W0.75), equivalent to 2.42 and 2.44 times the energy requirement for maintenance for goat's milk- and milk-substitute-fed animals respectively. There was a high degree of correlation between the empty-body concentration of dry matter, fat and energy and empty-body-weight (P less than 0.001) or animal age (P less than 0.001), and between body-weight and animal age (P less than 0.001). The relationships between empty-body composition and empty-body-weight were independent of type of milk or plane of nutrition. In contrast relationships between empty-body composition or empty-body-weight and animal age were affected by the type of milk and, over all, by the plane of nutrition. All these results show that in these animals any body-weight will have a similar composition, but it will be reached earlier or later depending on dietary regimen and always with the limitation of voluntary intake.

Animal Feed↗