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Biomedical subjects

J Franco

Publications and source records attributed to J Franco.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of severe hypoxemia associated with liver cirrhosis].

Severe hypoxemia is an uncommon feature of hepatic cirrhosis. Its major cause are intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunts, both due to direct arteriovenous communications and abnormally dilated pulmonary capillaries. In the present study, a case of cirrhosis associated with severe hypoxemia is reported. Contrast echocardiography showed pulmonary arteriovenous shunts, and low values of mixed venous blood (15% or less were obtained with the method of 100% oxygen breathing). These data suggest that the basic mechanism of hypoxemia, in this case, were capillary dilatations rather than true pulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses. The pathophysiological mechanisms of hypoxemia in cirrhosis are discussed, with emphasis on the present relevance of echocardiography for a full evaluation of these patients, particularly when liver transplantation is contemplated.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Esophageal tuberculosis and massive hematemesis].

A patient with esophageal tuberculosis who died of massive hematemesis is described. The origin of the disease was probably pulmonary and the esophageal affliction could have been produced by both the ingestion of contaminated sputum or direct extension from mediastinal lymphatic nodes. The diagnosis was reached by the discovery of caseation granulomas at esophagoscopy and the isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in the sputum. We comment on the rareness of the disease, clinical and endoscopic features which can resemble a neoplasia. At the same time, we highlight the possibility of serious complications, mainly upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage which is potentially lethal, and the aorto-esophageal communication, thus early diagnosis and surgical treatment being most important.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Trichosporon beigelii pneumonia in a neutropenic patient.

A case of pulmonary infection caused by Trichosporon beigelii is reported in an asthmatic patient undergoing steroid treatment who developed fever and lung infiltrates. Arthroconidia and blastoconidia were isolated from repeated sputum, bronchial aspirate and telescopic catheter samples. The infection coincided with neutropenia resulting from pyrazolone treatment. The response to amphotericin B treatment was favourable.

Agranulocytosis↗
PubMed1989

Serum inhibin is inversely correlated with serum FSH levels in adult men.

Serum inhibin, FSH, and testosterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 36 normal human males, aged 8 to 63 years. Inhibin and FSH levels rose during 8 to 17 years to reach adult values. At these ages there is a significant direct linear correlation between serum FSH and inhibin levels (r = 0.81, p less than 0.01), whereas in adulthood the relationship between serum FSH and inhibin levels was significant inverse (r = -0.70, p less than 0.01). No correlation was found between serum testosterone and FSH (r = -0.18, p:NS) or between serum testosterone and inhibin (r = 0.14, p:NS). In senescence there is a significant decrease in the serum inhibin levels (r = -0.53, p less than 0.05). These findings suggest that negative feedback is established once serum inhibin has reached adult values, and that in physiologic conditions inhibin plays a greater role than testosterone in the negative feedback regulation of FSH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

The effects of crowding on adults of Echinostoma revolutum (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) in experimentally infected golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus.

All 30 female golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, fed either 125 +/- 50 (group A), 300 +/- 50 (group B), or 500 +/- 50 (group C) metacercarial cysts of Echinostoma revolutum were infected 7-35 days postexposure. The mean number of worms in A, B, and C were 62, 96, and 212, respectively. Most of the worms in A were in the jejunum, but in C worms were about equally distributed in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and some were in the cecum. The body area and wet and dry weights of worms from C were significantly less than that of A or B at 2, 4, and 5 wk postinfection. Echinostoma revolutum eggs were in the feces of 100% of the hamsters by days 12, 13, and 14 in A, B, and C, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Infectivity, growth, and development of Echinostoma revolutum (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) in the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus.

All 30 female golden hamsters, Mesocricetus auratus, each fed 100 +/- 25 metacercarial cysts of Echinostoma revolutum were found to be infected 2 to 105 days post-infection with 3 to 103 (avg. 38) flukes in the small intestine. Worm wet weights averaged 0.6 mg at 9 days, 3.5 mg at 14 days, and 19 mg at 42 days; average dry weights for the identical days were 0.2, 1.2 and 5.8 mg, respectively. The average body length of worms fixed in hot (80 C) alcohol-formalin-acetic acid was 0.33 mm on day 2, 5.11 mm on day 10, 9.30 mm on day 42 and 8.56 mm on day 105. Body and gonadal area increased rapidly from about day 5 to 15 and then less rapidly. Eggs of E. revolutum were seen in the feces of 10% of the hamsters by day 9, 89% by day 10 and 100% by day 11. Eggs teased from worms, embryonated in tap water, and produced miracidia which infected lab-reared Helisoma trivolvis.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Incorporation of bovine thyroid peroxidase in liposomes.

In the microsomal fraction of thyroid glands, the temperature dependence of DPH fluorescence polarization showed a discontinuity in the range of 29-33 degrees C. The transition temperatures of DMPC, DPPC and DSPC are near to the observed for the microsomal fraction. So that, thyroid peroxidase (TPO) was incorporated into liposomes made with these phospholipids. When DPH was incorporated in this peroxidase-liposome complex, a less pronounced phase transition was observed in the profiles of temperature dependence of DPH polarization, and the incorporation of the enzyme decreased the Tc. Arrhenius plots of TPO incorporated into liposomes showed discontinuities at similar temperatures observed by fluorescence polarization. The decrease of transition temperature of liposomes induced by thyroid peroxidase incorporation suggests that this enzyme seems to need a fluid medium for its enzyme activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Comparison of immunodiffusion and crossed-immunoelectrophoresis in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis.

A retrospective single blind study was conducted to compare the efficacy of crossed-immunoelectrophoresis using concanavalin A intermediate gel with double immunodiffusion tests in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. On the basis of cytoplasmic antibody detection, crossed-immunoelectrophoresis with concanavalin A differentiated reliably between Candida albicans fungemia and invasive candida infection, whereas double immunodiffusion did not. With regard to sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value crossed-immunoelectrophoresis with concanavalin A was superior to double immunodiffusion. Analysis of double immunodiffusion precipitin bands revealed fuzzy and sharp precipitin bands which corresponded to mannan (fuzzy) and cytoplasmic (sharp) antibodies in the crossed-immunoelectrophoresis with concanavalin A assay. Therefore, the finding of sharp bands in the double immunodiffusion procedure supports the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis.

Adolescent↗