PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Castell

Publications and source records attributed to J Castell.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Regulation of alpha 2-macroglobulin gene expression by interleukin-6 (BSF-2/HSF).

In rat hepatocyte primary cultures recombinant human interleukin-6 (rhIL-6) induced alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) synthesis 54-fold. Half-maximal induction was achieved at a rhIL-6 concentration of 30 pM. RhIL-1 beta led only to a 2-fold increase in alpha 2M synthesis, but strongly impaired the action of IL-6. Intraperitoneal injection of rhIL-6 into male rats resulted in a 19.7-fold increase of alpha 2M mRNA already after 4h. In contrast, alpha 2M mRNA levels (50-fold increase) were reached between 16 and 24 h after intramuscular injection of turpentine. Whereas turpentine-induced inflammation resulted in an increased alpha 2M synthesis in male and female rats, rhIL-6 injection had no effect in female rats. The increases after rhIL-6 administration in mRNA concentrations were followed by corresponding changes in alpha 2M levels in serum. By Northern analysis it was demonstrated that LPS-stimulated human monocytes synthesize IL-6 mRNA. The 5'-end of the rat alpha 2M gene has been isolated and the first 3 exons and 166 base pairs of the 5'-flanking region were identified by a combination of oligonucleotide hybridization and DNA sequencing. The transcriptional start site was determined by RNase protection as well as by primer extension experiments. 5'-CATAAAG-3' and 5'-TCAAAA-3' were found as TATA- and CAAT-box equivalent sequences, respectively. Furthermore, a potential glucocorticoid binding site (5'-TGTTCT-3') was localized on the antisense strand of the alpha 2M gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Function of the right ventricle in interauricular communication in adults].

This study was designed prospectively to analyze the influence of age and operation on right ventricular function in atrial septal defect; 17 patients were studied by means of radionuclide studies performed immediately before and approximately 6 months (5,8 +/- 2,3) after surgery. The pulmonary/systemic flow ratio (Qp/Qs) was determined by first pass technique, and right ventricular ejection fraction and peak filling rate were determined by equilibrium ventriculography. In addition, all patients had preoperative catheterization. According to age, patients were divided in group I (less than 35 years) and group II (greater than or equal to 35 years). Preoperatively, patients in group I, in comparison to group II, had better ejection fraction (48 +/- 8 vs 36 +/- 7; p less than 0.01), and better peak filling rate (3.7 +/- 0.9 vs 2.6 +/- 0.7; p less than 0.01), while Qp/Qs were not significantly different (2.5 +/- 0.8 vs 3.0 +/- 1.6) and pulmonary vascular resistances were less elevated (69 +/- 32 vs157 +/- 95 dynes/sec/cm-5; p less than 0.01). After surgery, right ventricular function did not significatively change in relation to preoperative data in both groups (ejection fraction: 44 +/- 13 and 34 +/- 5, respectively; peak filling rate: 3.3 +/- 1.4 and 2.1 +/- 0.6). We conclude that in atrial septal defect indexes of systolic and diastolic right ventricular function deteriorate with age, these changes being associated with a slight increase in pulmonary vascular resistance without changes of Qp/Qs; right ventricular dysfunction does not tend to improve postoperatively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

How many swallows are required to establish reliable esophageal peristaltic parameters in normal subjects? An on-line computer analysis.

Esophageal manometric parameters are often examined using from four to 10 or more swallows to obtain a manometric profile without addressing the question of the reproducibility of these data. We asked the question of "how much is enough?" by statistically comparing five sets of 10 wet swallows (5 ml) each separated by 20 min in eight volunteers using constant infusion manometry. Peristaltic waves were evaluated for amplitude, duration, and velocity using an on-line computer program. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance and the Newman-Keuls test for uniformity among sets of swallows. The sets of 10 swallows showed no evidence of a training effect over time. Less than 5% of all comparisons (Newman-Keuls) showed significant differences. Using 5% variability outside of 1 SD as a cutoff (95% confidence interval) amplitude of normal wet swallows could be adequately defined by more than or equal to five swallows and velocity by more than or equal to seven swallows. Duration shows the greatest overall variability and required more than or equal to eight swallows for accurate assessment. These data suggest that at least five to eight wet swallows should be performed to describe "typical" manometry parameters for normal subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Possible role of biliverdin as an initiator of liver regeneration].

Biliverdin has been proposed as the biological signal that triggers liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, since a transitory increase of plasma levels is found shortly after partial hepatectomy. We have carried out a detailed study to establish the feasibility of such a hypothesis. When biliverdin is administered i.p., it binds to albumin. This became evident by electrophoresis and affinity chromatography. Biliverdin disappears from the peritoneal cavity following a 1st order kinetics (t 1/2 = 40 min, K = 0.0175 min -1). Biliverdin reductase activity in the peritoneal exudate was high (1.04 mumol Bv min -1/mg protein), and very small amounts of biliverdin in comparison to the administered dose were found in plasma. However, unconjugated bilirubin level was high in plasma and the conjugated bilirubin in bile flux reached its maximum 90 min after administration. On the basis of blood elimination of biliverdin when administered intravenously (t 1/2 = 11 min, K = 0.068 min -1), a series of experiments was designed to reproduce the levels of plasma biliverdin as found shortly after partial hepatectomy. Our results showed a total absence of liver regeneration. There is, however, increase of the mitotic index if biliverdin is administered intraperitoneally. This effect is not directly related to biliverdin but to unspecific (?) stimulation of peritoneal cavity since the same effect was obtained after administration of unrelated substances (diatomaceous earth, killed bacteria). The mitotic figures did not incorporate 3H-thymidine, and it is suggested that those cells came from a G2 blocked quiescent cell population in liver. We therefore conclude that biliverdin is not the physiological trigger of liver regeneration.

Albumins↗
PubMed1980

[Cerebral tuberculoma: an atypical case (author's transl)].

A case is reported of a 72 year-old female patient with multiple cerebral tuberculomas and a clinical course of 11 months that was characterized by personality changes, disorientation and progressive mental obtundation. The patient had a fatal outcome in spite of ventricular drainage and antituberculous therapy. Postmortem examination disclosed small tuberculomas in the cerebellum and brain stem, as well as residual tuberculous lesions in the upper lobe of the right lung. The clinical interest of this case lies in the old age of the patient, the rarity of the disease in western countries, and the location of tuberculomas in the brain stem with associated tuberculous meningitis. The higher incidence of cerebral tuberculomas in eastern and african countries is commented upon, and its anatomical, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features are reviewed. Finally, the two existing pathological forms and their respective clinical and therapeutic peculiarities are analyzed.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Diagnosis and assessment of therapeutic response of bone metastases by bone scintigraphy and PET study].

Nuclear medicine plays an important role in staging and evaluation of the initial extension and response to treatment of bone metastases. In order to accurately read Bone Scintigraphy (BS) and Positron Emission Tomography scan (PET) procedures, it is essential to understand the different behavior of these studies. We present a case report of a woman treated for breast cancer, with suspicion of recurrent disease due to increase of tumor markers. Initial BS showed non-conclusive findings, whereas PET study was consistent with a spread of bone metastases. The patient underwent both procedures again after a course of chemotherapy. Post-treatment BS showed progression of bone lesions, while PET showed good therapeutic response. The PET demonstrates lesions earlier and more effectively than the bone scintigraphy in the evaluation of the therapeutic response of bone metastases.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Estimation of the use of seat belts: an observational study and a telephone survey].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of safety-belt use in a telephone survey and an observational survey. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational survey. Trained interviewers studied 4,067 front-seat occupants, at ten intersections of Madrid, according to "National Highway Traffic Safety Administration" guidelines. TELEPHONE SURVEY: We selected 433 front seat occupants from the Madrid city residential telephone directory. The questionnaire was completed by trained interviewers. RESULTS: Prevalence by the observational survey was 58.5%, and was significantly higher at interurban intersections (OR = 2.1) than city intersections. In the telephone survey, the overall prevalence was 94% at interurban area and 64% at city area and it was associated with no history of lines and positive opinion of effectiveness of safety belts. CONCLUSIONS: The safety belt prevalence observed is low, especially in the urban area. The telephone survey overestimates the safety belt use, but contributes with useful information for planning strategies.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic assessment of uncomplicated first myocardial infarction by exercise echocardiography and Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated SPECT.

BACKGROUND: We evaluate the prognostic value of stress echo and gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) after a first uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used predischarge maximal subjective exercise echocardiography and gated SPECT with technetium 99m tetrofosmin to prospectively study 103 patients younger than 70 years with a first acute myocardial infarction. During a 12-month follow-up period, 2 patients died, 9 had heart failure, and 29 had ischemic complications (4 reinfarction and 25 angina). Predictive variables for heart failure in multivariate analysis were ejection fraction evaluated by echocardiography (odds ratio [OR] 8.5, P =.016) or by gated SPECT (OR 10.7, P =.009). Predictive variables for ischemic complications in multivariate analysis were less than 5 metabolic equivalents (METS) in exercise test (OR 5.2, P =.007) and greater than 15% ischemic extent in the polar map (OR 3.6, P =.04) of SPECT. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise echocardiography and Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated SPECT were predictive for heart failure, but exercise SPECT was the only test with predictive power for ischemic complications.

Echocardiography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interhospital observer agreement in interpretation of exercise myocardial Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT studies.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the degree of interhospital agreement in the interpretation of exercise myocardial technetium-99m tetrofosmin single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS AND RESULTS: Five experienced hospital laboratories were asked to submit 2 sets of myocardial Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT images obtained in 150 patients undergoing coronary angiography: group A used a uniform color scale for all hospitals, and group B used the individual color scale in place at each hospital (uniform color scale, nonuniform color scale, and black-and-white scale). Thus a total of 300 images were interpreted by each center without knowledge of any other patient data. Angiographically significant coronary artery disease (< or =50% diameter stenosis) was present in 90 patients (60%). By a majority decision (3 or more centers), the sensitivity was found to be similar for groups A and B (82% and 84%, respectively), but the specificity was significantly higher for group A (87% vs 73%; P =.021). Four or all 5 of the centers agreed on abnormal or normal results of SPECT images in 87% of patients in group A (kappa 0.626) and in 78% of patients in group B (kappa 0.528). The kappa value of 0.617 was obtained for the uniform color scale, 0.467 for the uniform black-and-white scale, and 0.444 for the nonuniform color scale. Agreement on the left anterior descending artery territory (81% for group A and 78% for group B) was similar to that of the right coronary artery territory (79% for A and 75% for B) and to that of the left circumflex artery territory (91% for A and 85% for B). Agreement was similar in patients with 1-, 2-, and 3-vessel coronary artery disease (91%, 88%, and 86% for group A and 81%, 82%, and 82% for group B, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the interpretation of myocardial Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT images, good interinstitutional observer agreement was found, mainly when the uniform display method was adopted.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Intervention in a measles outbreak].

BACKGROUND: The description of a community measles epidemic and the activities developed to control the same is presented. Vaccination efficacy was studied by a cases and controls study. METHODS: The study period of the epidemic was from August 1994 to March 1995 and the intervention was performed from January to March 1995. The activities were developed in two phases: the first directed at a descriptive study and control of the outbreak and in the second phase a cases and controls study was designed to evaluate vaccination efficacy (VE%) versus measles. RESULTS: A total of 325 cases of measles were registered over a period of 29 weeks. The greatest attack rate was found in the age group of 5 to 9 years with 5-91 cases/100. The surveillance system and the priorization of activities protocol designed for control of the outbreak were found to be useful. The result of the cases and controls study demonstrated VE% to be 93.5% (84.3-97.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid intervention in the outbreaks of measles is considered fundamental to avoid propagation of the same among the susceptible population. The surveillance system versus the disease should therefore be optimized. Although vaccination efficacy was found to be good, the high rates of attack found in the theoretically vaccinated groups lead to the recommendation of the introduction of a second dosis of the vaccine and to vaccinate the existing non vaccinated sets.

Adolescent↗