PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J M Jiménez

Publications and source records attributed to J M Jiménez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Reference ranges for umbilical and middle cerebral artery pulsatility index and cerebroplacental ratio in prolonged pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To construct normal ranges for umbilical artery pulsatility index (UA PI), middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (MCA PI) and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) in prolonged pregnancies according to strict methodological criteria using polynomial regression analysis. METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study involving 140 women, 10 women for each gestational day between 287 and 300 days of gestation. Fetal Doppler parameters were assessed to construct normal reference ranges for UA PI and MCA PI. CPR was calculated as a ratio of MCA PI/UA PI. RESULTS: Mathematical modeling of the data demonstrated that the optimal fit was a linear polynomial one. Mean, 5th and 95th centiles were calculated for UA, MCA and CPR and centile curves from the regression analysis were constructed. CONCLUSIONS: Reference ranges for UA PI, MCA PI and CPR in prolonged pregnancies have been constructed. MCA PI shows a wider range than previously reported in the literature.

Adult↗

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 3,4-diaryloxazolones: A new class of orally active cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

A series of 3,4-diaryloxazolones were prepared and evaluated for their ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Extensive structure-activity relationship work was carried out within this series, and a number of potent and selective COX-2 inhibitors were identified. The replacement of the methyl sulfone group on the 4-phenyl ring by a sulfonamide moiety resulted in compounds with superior in vivo antiinflammatory properties. In the sulfonamide series, the introduction of a methyl group at the 5-position of the oxazolone ring gave rise to very COX-2-selective compounds but with decreased in vivo activity. Selected 3,4-diaryloxazolones exhibited excellent activities in experimental models of arthritis and hyperalgesia. The in vivo activity of these compounds was confirmed with the evaluation of their antipyretic effectiveness and their ability to inhibit migration of proinflammatory cells. As expected from their COX-2 selectivity, most of the active compounds lacked gastrointestinal toxicity in vivo in rats after a 4-day treatment of 100 mg/kg/day. Within this novel series, sulfonamides 9-11 have been selected for further preclinical evaluation.

Animals↗

[A hydatid cyst in the vena cava inferior and right atrium with venous flow obstruction and pulmonary dissemination].

We report the case of a 62-year-old female patient operated for a hepatic hydatid cyst that years later was found to have a hydatid cyst in the inferior vena cava and right atrium that was the source of disseminated pulmonary spread of the disease and occlusion of the inferior vena cava blood flow. Cardiac hydatid disease is very uncommon and is frequently associated with a poor prognosis. The literature for hydatid disease of the heart is reviewed and the clinical and echocardiographic relevant findings of this patient are discussed.

Cardiomyopathies↗

[Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma. Different forms of the clinical presentation].

Papillary fibroelastoma is an uncommon cardiac tumor rarely diagnosed during life. Although most fibroelastomas are incidental findings at autopsy, a few cases have been associated with cardiac symptoms that include angina, arterial embolism and sudden death. We report the case of two patients, a 35-year-old male with an acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation and a 53-year-old asymptomatic female, with cardiac masses first detected by transthoracic echocardiography. A more detailed morphological study was provided by transesophageal echocardiography. After cardiac surgery, the anatomical study demonstrated that both tumors were papillary fibroelastomas. The literature concerning papillary fibroelastoma is reviewed.

Adult↗

[Severe-grade tetanus in a multipurpose ICU: review of 13 cases].

BACKGROUND: The mortality of severe tetanus (grades II-III) remains high today, being greater than 20% with a large number of complications, due to the lengthy stay of these patients in the ICU. METHODS: A review of 13 cases of severe tetanus over the last 5 years was performed analyzing age, entrance, previous immunization, ICU stay, grade of severity, complications and mortality. RESULTS: The ages ranged between 35 to 79 years (mean 54 years). No patient had been previously immunized. Entrance was determined in 11 patients (84.6%). The mean ICU stay was 27.3 days. Complications were presented in 76.8% of the patients, with the most frequent being vegetative alterations (38%). The global mortality was 30.7% (4 patient), 3 secondary to sepsis of pulmonary origin and one from a cardiac arrest of vegetative etiology. CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe that prophylaxis is fundamental in prevention of the disease but an important sector of the population remains unvaccinated. On appearance of severe tetanus, admission to the ICU is essential since many complications may appear requiring specialized techniques and personnel.

Acinetobacter Infections↗

[Nutritional status of preschool children in Ciudad de La Habana from 1972 to 1993].

Two anthropometric surveys of children and adolescents have been carried out in Cuba with national samples. A third study done in the province of Ciudad de la Habana provided information on the physical characteristics of the population in that area and a baseline for the periodic evaluation of its nutritional status. This article compares the weight and height results obtained in these surveys for children 0 to 5 years old who lived in this province with the international reference standards proposed by WHO. The results show that, despite the economic difficulties the country has faced, the prevalence of malnutrition is low. In 1993, the prevalence of low height-for-age was 3.1%; that of low weight-for-height, 0.4%; and that of low weight-for-age, 1.5%. Overweight was the most common type of malnutrition, with a prevalence of 5.2%. Between 1972 and 1993, the prevalence of chronic malnutrition fell 32.6%, acute malnutrition was reduced by 69.2%; malnutrition of all types decreased by 44.4%; and overweight fell 48.5%.

Anthropometry↗

[Sudden deafness and Barlow disease].

From January 1993 to December 1994 twelve patients were evaluated for sudden hearing loss. The median age was 49 years with a range of 18 to 71. All had severe or profound initial hearing loss. The incidence of bilateral disease was 25%. Total deafness occurred in five (33%) ears. Nine (75%) patients had vestibular symptoms and eight (67%) admitted experiencing tinnitus. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed mitral prolapse in eight (67%) patients; another patient showed moderate to severe ischemic left ventricular dysfunction with apical aneurysm.

Adult↗

Caprylic acid fractionation of hyperimmune horse plasma: description of a simple procedure for antivenom production.

A simple methodology for hyperimmune horse plasma fractionation, based on caprylic acid precipitation, is described. Optimal conditions for fractionation were studied; the method gives best results when concentrated caprylic acid was added to plasma, whose pH had been adjusted to 5.8, until a final caprylic acid concentration of 5% was reached. The mixture was vigorously stirred during caprylic acid addition and then for 60 min; afterwards the mixture was filtered. Non-immunoglobulin proteins precipitated in these conditions, whereas a highly enriched immunoglobulin preparation was obtained in the filtrate, which was then dialysed to remove caprylic acid before the addition of NaCl and phenol. Thus, antivenom was produced after a single precipitation step followed by dialysis. In order to compare this methodology with that based on ammonium sulfate fractionation, a sample of hyperimmune plasma was divided into two aliquots which were fractionated in parallel by both methods. It was found that caprylic acid-fractionated antivenom was superior in terms of yield, production time, albumin/globulin ratio, turbidity, protein aggregates, electrophoretic pattern and neutralizing potency against several activities of Bothrops asper venom. Owing to its efficacy and simplicity, this method could be of great value in antivenom and antitoxin production laboratories.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

[AEL: a rare variant of blood group A].

We have studied an eight-member family. Three of them presented discrepancies between red blood cell and serum tests. The red blood cells fail to react with anti-A, anti-B or anti-AB of any origin. On the other hand, serum grouping tests strongly react with group B cells and fail to react with A1 and A2 cells. Then we performed saliva and adsorption/elution studies in order to demonstrate A or H substances in saliva of secretors. We conclude that the blood belonged to an A weak group named Ael.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Occurrence and evolution of T3 fibroblast nuclei in healing tendons from growing chicks.

We applied immunocytochemical techniques including anti-triiodothyronine (T3) serum and microscopic analysis with colloid gold as the developer to identify the specific receptors of thyroid hormones located within the cell nucleus and between the heteroeuchromatin transition zone in 25 chicks. All chicks underwent tenotomy, followed by tenorrhaphy and immobilisation of the leg in plaster. There was a gradual decrease in the number of T3 receptors of collagen-forming fibroblasts as the tendons healed and their capacity to synthetize collagen diminished.

Animals↗