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Biomedical subjects

J A Alvarez

Publications and source records attributed to J A Alvarez.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Benign schwannomas: a histopathological and morphometric study.

A conventional histopathological and quantitative morphometric study of 28 capsulated peripheral and spinal nerve benign schwannomas demonstrated linear and parabolic correlation between Antoni B tissue, vascularity and tumour size. The results support the endoneural connective tissue origin of Antoni B, and suggest a model of tumor growth that is partially limited by the growth potential of the Antoni B and/or the vascular component.

Humans↗

Transient tachycardia- and bradycardia-dependent left anterior and left posterior hemiblocks. Effects of isoproterenol.

Tachycardia- and bradycardia-dependent, left anterior and left posterior hemiblocks as transient phenomena were registered in two patients spontaneously, and especially as a consequence of isoproterenol infusion. A chronic trifascicular type of A-V block was present in the first case, whereas in the second case a bradycardia-dependent left posterior hemiblock was registered during an acute myocardial infarction. In the first patient the isoproterenol effects were: (1) a shortening of the refractoriness and an increase of the conduction velocity in the injured fascicle, (2) an increase in the slope of phase-4 depolarization on the left posterior fascicle, and (3) a presumably shifting toward zero of threshold potential on the left anterior fascicle. Isoproterenol effects disappeared from 30 to 40 min after it was discontinued. In the second case the bradycardia-dependent left posterior hemiblock was registered during very fast heart rates (150 beats min). This finding supports the view that enhanced phase-4 depolarization is the main factor in the development of bradycardia-dependent intraventricular blocks in the course of acute myocardial ischemia.

Aged↗

Effects of isoproterenol on bradycardia-dependent intra-His and left bundle branch blocks.

The electrophysiologic study of a patient with a history of fainting showed first- and second-degree Mobitz type I intraatrial and intra-His (IH) bundle blocks. Tachycardia and bradycardia-dependent IH block and bradycardia-dependent left bundle branch block were also present. Bradycardia-dependent block was probably caused by slight hypopolarization plus a slow rising slope of phase 4 depolarization and a shift of the threshold potential toward zero. Two months later a second electrophysiologic study was performed before, during and after administration of i.v. isoproterenol (IP). Shortening of atrium-His (AH1) and IH (H1H2) conduction time during faster heart rates caused by IP infusion may be related to its hyperpolarizing effect. Simultaneously, a shifting to the left of both bradycardia-dependent IH and left bundle branch block ranges was recorded during vagally induced cardiac slowing. These findings suggest that IP produces an increase in the slope of phase 4 depolarization of the His bundle and left bundle branch fibers and a simultaneous and concordant effect at both levels of the intraventricular conduction system.

Bradycardia↗

Dissimilar atrial rhythms. A patient with triple right atrial rhythm.

A patient with complete A-V block and atrial fibrillation was analyzed by multiple intra-atrial electrograms. Three areas were recorded in the right atrium, each of them with different electrophysiological properties: (1) persistent atrial standstill, (2) irregular atrial activity with a rate of 50/minute, and (3) fibrilloflutter waves with a rate of 450/minute. The latter were also registered in the left atrium. This case illustrates another form of dissimilar atrial rhythms, and provides additional evidence of the importance of recording multiple electrograms from each atrium in the evaluation of the atrial events in atypical atrial arrhythmias.

Atrial Fibrillation↗

Congenital atresia of the foramen of Monro.

Two cases of congenital atresia of the foramen of Monro are described, one 8 days old and the other 2 months old. Both are associated with a parieto-occipital paraventricular diverticulum and spontaneous ventriculostomy with the passing of the cerebrospinal fluid to the posterior fossa and the formation of a cyst in the supracerebella region which compressed and displaced the structures of the posterior fossa.

Cerebral Angiography↗

Spontaneous ventriculostomy and ventricular diverticulum.

Four cases of ventricular diverticulum are presented, 2 with spontaneous ventriculostomy. In 2 patients, the cause was monoventricular hydrocephalus through congenital stenosis of the foramen of Monro, with paraventricular diverticula and spontaneous ventriculostomy. Both patients had a cystic space in the quadrigeminal and supracerebellar cistern. In one patient during pneumoencephalography, the ventricular diverticulum filled via the ventriculostomy. The other 2 patients had congenital stenosis of the Sylvian aqueduct with the formation of a large supratentoria cyst connecting with the posterior part of the third ventricule.

Brain Diseases↗

Penetration of topically administered prednisolone acetate into the human aqueous humor.

A single standardized drop of 1.0% prednisolone acetate labeled with tritiated thymidine was administered topically to one eye of 58 patients shortly before elective cataract extraction. An aqueous humor sample was aspirated at varying intervals and its corticosteroid content was determined. Peak drug concentration in aqueous humor was 1.13 mug/ml, which occurred 30 to 45 minutes after instillation of the medication. Substantial quantitites of corticosteroid were found in the aqueous humor five minutes after drug administration. The area under the drug concentration in aqueous humor-vs-time curve (a measure of the drug's bioavailability in aqueous humor) was 88 mug min/ml, and its half-life in human aqueous humor was 28 minutes. None of these values were significantly different from the comparable values in rabbit eyes.

Adult↗

Alterations in steroid and gonadotropin release resulting from surgical stress during the morning of proestrus in 5-day cyclic rats.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether surgical stress on the morning of proestrus would elicit an early release of gonadotropin from the pituitary. Animals exhibiting 5-day estrous cycles underwent bilateral sham-ovariectomy under ether anesthesia at 0800 h of proestrus. These animals had high levels of progesterone and estradiol following the surgery. These steroids were thought to be adrenal in origin, since animals adrenalectomized at 0800 h of proestrus had low progesterone levels and estradiol comparable to unoperated controls. Subsequently, the sham-operated animals showed high FSH but not LH values at 1300 h, prior to the normal critical period for gonadotropin release. By 1400, the LH surge had begun, and progesterone was again being released. Adrenalectomized and unoperated controls showed no increase in any steroid or gonadotropin measured before 1400 h. These findings suggest that stress-induced release of adrenal estradiol and progesterone, rather than some other consequence of the surgical procedure, during the morning of proestrus, can advance the onset of release of FSH, prior to LH. Ovariectomy at 0800 h proestrus led to a rapid and dramatic increase in FSH but not LH secretion by 4 h after surgery. By 6 h after ovariectomy FSH had increased to six times control values and LH had increased to twice control values. Estradiol remained at control values for 6 h following surgery but 20alpha-hydroxypreg-4-en-3-one (20alpha-OHP) dropped quickly to baseline values. It is possible that a reduction in circulating 20 alpha-OHP may be responsible for the increases in FSH prior to LH in this group, but the absence of other negative feedback factors from the ovary or adrenal may also be involved.

20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone↗

Surgical management of an unusual carotid-cavernous fistula.

A case of carotid-cavernous fistula is described associated with extradural haematoma, temporal lobe contusion, ophthalmoplegia, optic nerve injury by fracture, rhinorrhoea, orbital encephalocoele, and traumatic carotid thrombosis. The fistula was occluded by clipping of the carotid artery intracranially and also of the ophthalmic artery.

Adult↗

Use of a duplex PCR/DNA probe assay to monitor Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle during a vaccination trial.

A Duplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (DPCR)/DNA probe assay was used to detect Babesia bovis and B. bigemina DNA in cattle undergoing immunization trials. Blood samples were collected from 15 non-splenectomized, 1-2 years old bulls, inoculated with 1 x 10(7) each of culture-derived B. bovis- and B. bigemina-infected erythrocytes. 15 bulls inoculated with normal erythrocytes served as a control group. All cattle were field exposed to tick-transmitted Babesia 21 days (20 animals, Group I) and 60 days (10 animals, Group II) post-inoculation (PI). After immunization, the DPCR/DNA probe assay detected B. bigemina and B. bovis parasite DNA in all inoculated animals from days 4 to 14 PI. At challenge, B. bovis DNA was detected in all control animals as early as day 8 (Group I), or day 11 (Group II) post-introduction to a tick-infested area. The immunized bulls showed B. bovis positive PCR/DNA probe signals from day 0 (Group II) and day 8 (group I), up to day 32 post-exposure to ticks. Positive B. bigemina signals were detected from day 0 (Group I) and day 8 (Group II), up to day 36 post-exposure to ticks. During challenge, it was not possible to clearly define whether the PCR/DNA probe signals detected in the blood from immunized cattle were a result of amplified DNA from the culture-derived parasites, from the tick-transmitted parasites, or both.

Animals↗

Antibody response to Babesia bigemina infection in calves measured by ELISA and immunoblotting techniques.

To measure the antibody response to Babesia bigemina with an ELISA test, three groups of cattle were experimentally infected with two isolates of the parasite. It was possible to demonstrate specific antibody binding directed against the parasite as early as the 7 days postinfection (PI). The highest level of antibody was obtained around day 1 to 23 and remained detectable for 260 days. Challenge of the animals 260 days PI with a tick-induced B. bigemina infection depicted that homologous strain-challenged calves did not show an increase of IgG antibody levels, where as those challenged with the heterologous isolate did. In the latter groups the resulting level of antibodies was even higher than after the primary infection. The immunoblotting technique showed that the antibody response is probably directed against groups of B. bigemina components with a relative mobilities of 68-64 kDa, 62-54 kDa and 52-42 kDa, which appear to be major components of the protozoa. By observing the cross-reacting antigenicity among seven B. bigemina isolates, it was demonstrated that these components are not isolate-restricted.

Animals↗

[Syndromes of continuous muscular activity: report of a central case (stiff-man) and a peripheral case (neuromyotonia) associated with neuroborreliosis].

We describe two cases of continuous muscular activity: one which is central (the stiff-man syndrome), and another which is peripheral (neuromiotony), the latter in a patient suffering from diabetic neuropathy and with positive Borrellia burgdorferi serology in the bloodstream, as well as CSF. Both cases reacted favourably to medical treatment. In the first case botulinic toxin was used as a simultaneous treatment for focal pseudodystonia in one foot. Response was good.

Aged↗