Biomedical subjects
J B Romero
Publications and source records attributed to J B Romero.
Hyperostotic and destructive osteoarthritis in a patient with vitamin A intoxication syndrome: a case report.
The authors present a case report of a 59-year-old female suffering from hyperlipidemia who developed chronic vitamin A intoxication syndrome after ingestion of 30,000 IU retinol/daily over a period of six years. The patient's main complaints included severe headaches, morning nausea, myalgias and disability around the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Radiologically, hyperostosis of the acetabular circumference and the spine was demonstrated. Because of rapidly increasing pain, total hip replacement was performed. Histology of cross sections from the femoral head revealed destructive osteoarthritis. Since no other causative reason was found, retinol may not only be responsible for hyperostotic bone and soft tissue formations but may perhaps also account for rapid progressing of degenerative joint disease. Despite the cessation of vitamin A intake the clinical symptoms persisted due to hyperlipidemia. The enlarged number of chylomicrons and the higher fraction of very low density lipoproteins may represent a second retinyl ester pool in case of overloaded fat storing Ito-cells in the liver. Therefore, rheumatological treatment reducing risk factors such as hyperlipidemia is mandatory.
Follow-up recommendations for patients with stage I malignant melanoma.
The objective of follow-up examinations of patients who have had Stage I invasive malignant melanoma is the early detection of local recurrences, metastases, and new primary melanomas. Model schedules for follow-up intervals were developed based on a survey of eight physicians. These melanoma experts agree that regular follow-up examinations are indicated and that the time intervals between examination vary according to the thicknesses of the melanomas. The patient follow-up schedule derived is: for melanomas up to 0.75-mm thick, every 6 months for years 1 and 2, and annually for years 3, 4, and 5; for melanomas 0.76-1.50 mm thick, every 3 months for years 1 and 2, semi-annually for years 3, 4, and 5; and for melanomas > 1.50 mm thick, every 3 months for years 1, 2, and 3, and semi-annually for years 4 and 5. After the fifth year, the recommendation is to examine all patients annually for life because of the continued risk for recurrences and new primary melanomas. For those individuals at especially high risk for developing multiple primary melanomas more frequent examinations may be appropriate.
Solar nevogenesis: a surrogate for predicting a rise in incidence of malignant melanoma because of ozone depletion.
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Alkaline hydrolysis/methylation-acetylation: a new technique for ultrastructural DNA cytochemistry.
A new technique for the visualization of DNA-containing structures in electron microscopy is described. Samples of glutaraldehyde-fixed bone marrow from rats were subjected to alkaline hydrolysis to remove RNA and the phosphate of phosphoproteins, followed by a combined blockage of protein carboxyl and amino groups through methylation-acetylation. After uranyl acetate staining of epoxy-embedded ultrathin sections, chromatin from all cell types showed a highly selective and intense electron opacity. Staining methods for DNA were also positive in semithin sections. This simple procedure could be very useful in ultrastructural cytochemistry of DNA and chromatin.
Observations on the contrasting reaction of some electron dense stains applied on epoxy-embedded tissue sections.
Epon sections from glutaraldehyde-fixed rat bone marrow were treated with aqueous solutions of the following electron contrasting agents: uranyl acetate, ruthenium red, potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, stannous chloride, palladium (II) chloride, sodium molybdate, phosphomolybdic acid, molybdenum heteropolyblue, phosphotungstic acid, iron(II)-phenanthroline, aluminium-hematoxylin, mercurochrome, cuprolinic blue, and sirius light turquoise blue. At the ultrastructural level, a high degree of electron opacity was always observed in mast cell granules and the crystalline inclusion (internum) of eosinophil granules. The chromatin revealed a somewhat lower and variable contrasting reaction, while the matrix (externum) of eosinophil granules appeared with scarce or no contrast. This pattern of electron opacity showed no correlation with the type of agent used; therefore, it can be assumed that binding processes based on the own chemical reactivity of the compounds are rather of secondary importance. The differential epoxy resin embedding of cell structures and the variable access of aqueous reagents through the non-polar plastic could be the predominant factors which account for these contrasting reactions.
New fluorescence reactions in DNA cytochemistry. 1. Microscopic and spectroscopic studies on nonrigid fluorochromes.
Some nonrigid DNA-binding antibiotics and fluorochromes that recognize adenine-thymine (AT) sequences are widely applied in biomedical research, but the microscopic use, spectral characteristics and DNA binding modes of other similar compounds have been overlooked or scarcely explored. After treatment with thioflavine T, auramine O and G, curcumin, bis-aminophenyl-oxadiazol, berenil and distamycin A, a bright DNA-dependent fluorescence reaction was found in the chromatin of interphase nuclei, meiotic and polytene chromosomes, spermatozoa heads and kinetoplasts of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Nucleoli and basophilic cytoplasm showed low or no fluorescence; the highest emission occurred in the AT-rich kinetoplast DNA. When bound to DNA or in the presence of alpha-cyclodextrin and viscous solvents or cosolutes, nonrigid compounds revealed a striking enhancement of fluorescence. The results indicate that these new or poorly known fluorochromes bind selectively to DNA-containing structures and that the minor groove from AT-rich DNA regions could represent the specific and highly fluorescent binding site.
Neuroleptanalgesia and anesthesia in poor-risk patients.
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Neuroleptanalgesia and anesthesia: Experiences in 60 poor risk geriatric patients.
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