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Biomedical subjects

J Murillo

Publications and source records attributed to J Murillo.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Factors associated with hypoalphalipoproteinemia].

BACKGROUND: Hypoalphalipoproteinemia (HALP) is the most frequent lipid alteration found in patients with myocardial infarction at an early age. It is defined by amounts of lipid cholesterol at high density lipoproteins (cHDL) lower than 10% according to age and sex. The aim of this study was to know the frequency of main factors which reduce the levels of cHDL in a group of subjects with and without HALP. METHODS: Pathological antecedents, consumption of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, the presence of obesity and levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, cHDL, glucose and urea were studied in a group of 1825 males. The study was performed in the course of medical examinations for workers. RESULTS: The consumption of cigarettes, the index of body mass (IBM) and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus were higher in the group of subjects with HALP. Hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides > or = 200 mg/dl) was found in 31% of the subjects with HALP vs 10% in the control group (p < 0.001); hypocholesterolemia (cholesterol < or = 150 mg/dl) was also significantly greater (9.8% vs 4.3%, p < 0.01). Altogether, in 64% of the subjects with HALP, factors which may decrease cHDL were associated. Of the factors studied, the number of triglycerides, IBM and the number of cigarettes consumed per day were the independent factors which most significantly contributed to the decrease of cHDL in the regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the subjects with hypoalphalipoproteinemia present other modifiable factors such as an elevated index of body mass, cigarette consumption and high amounts of triglicerydes, the correction of which constitutes the base for treatment of this disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Nucleotide sequence and characterization of four additional genes of the hydrogenase structural operon from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae.

The nucleotide sequence of a 2.5-kbp region following the hydrogenase structural genes (hupSL) in the H2 uptake gene cluster from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae UPM791 was determined. Four closely linked genes encoding peptides of 27.9 (hupC), 22.1 (hupD), 19.0 (hupE), and 10.4 (hupF) kDa were identified immediately downstream of hupL. Proteins with comparable apparent molecular weights were detected by heterologous expression of these genes in Escherichia coli. The six genes, hupS to hupF, are arranged as an operon, and by mutant complementation analysis, it was shown that genes hupSLCD are cotranscribed. A transcription start site preceded by the -12 to -24 consensus sequence characteristic of NtrA-dependent promoters was identified upstream of hupS. On the basis of the lack of oxygen-dependent H2 uptake activity of a hupC::Tn5 mutant and on structural characteristics of the protein, we postulate that HupC is a b-type cytochrome involved in electron transfer from hydrogenase to oxygen. The product from hupE, which is needed for full hydrogenase activity, exhibited characteristics typical of a membrane protein. The features of HupC and HupE suggest that they form, together with the hydrogenase itself, a membrane-bound protein complex involved in hydrogen oxidation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Effects of an androgenic derivative on pre-established mammary tumours chemically induced in the rat.

The effects were studied of an androgenic derivative--danazol--administered at doses of 10-12 mg kg-1 day-1 during 97 days to rats with dimethylbenz[a] anthracene-induced mammary tumours. Our main observations were as follows. (a) Danazol did not influence ovarian function at the end of the assay. (b) The treatment with danazol reduced the incidence (P less than 0.05), number of tumours (P less than 0.05) and volume of malignant mammary tumours; on the other hand, the values of these parameters for benign tumours and those of doubtful expression were similar in both experimental groups. (c) Such differential action of Danazol seems to be due to the different incidence and/or content of receptors of both types of tumours. (d) The latter results lead to a hypothesis for the mechanism of action of danazol based on its behaviour at different levels.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗
PubMed1979

Gentamicin and ticarcillin serum levels.

Ticarcillin disodium and gentamicin sulfate serum levels were measured one and five hours after intravenous administration. Patients receiving ticarcillin plus gentamicin had a significantly lower mean gentamicin level one and five hours after antibiotic administration than patients receiving cephalothin sodium plus gentamicin. The serum ticarcillin levels were significantly lower five hours after administration in patients receiving ticarcillin plus gentamicin than in those receiving ticarcillin plus cephalothin. Low antibiotic serum levels in patients with serious infections treated with these antibiotic combinations are of potential clinical significance; therefore, to ensure an optimal antimicrobial therapy, it is advisable to determine the drug serum concentrations (especially aminoglycoside) even in patients with normal renal function when treating with combinations of antimicrobials.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1979

Axillary lesions in patients with acute leukemia: evaluation of a preventive program.

Axillary skin lesions can cause significant morbidity in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. The incidence in relation to the level of circulating granulocytes and the microbiology of 15 such lesions among 150 patients over a three year period were determined. Lesions occurred predominantly during periods of profound granulocytopenia (0-499 cells/microliter). Gram-negative bacilli were the most common pathogens isolated from these lesions. The initiation of a supervised preventive program for 84 patients over 19 months which includes the regular swabbing of each axilla with povidone-iodine cotton sticks in addition to measures to avoid skin trauma has virtually eliminated inflammatory axillary lesions in this high risk patient population.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Invasive aspergillosis in acute leukemia: correlation with nose cultures and antibiotic use.

Aspergillosis in cancer patients is a problem. Because not all patients can undergo invasive procedures, we sought other methods for diagnosis. We reviewed the data from all patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia treated at our center during a 3-year period. Of 125 patients, 18 had invasive aspergillosis (cases). Eleven patients had nose cultures growing Aspergillus flavus or A. fumigatus; 10 of these 11 had aspergillosis, whereas only eight of 114 without such nose cultures had invasive disease (P less than 0.000001). Thus, A. flavus on nose culture appears "predictive" for aspergillosis. Absence of such a culture does not preclude infection. Of 125 patients, 61 had sterile nose culture(s) and 14 of the 18 cases had such a sterile nose culture. Only four of the 64 patients without sterile nose cultures developed aspergillosis (P less than 0.008), suggesting a relation between sterile nose culture and aspergillosis. Carbenicillin was used for a longer period among cases and patients with predictive nose cultures than among patients without aspergillosis. These data may help identify patients at risk of aspergillosis and help determine antifungal therapy when invasive procedures are contraindicated.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Leishmania herreri sp. n. from sloths and sandflies of Costa Rica.

Leishmania herreri sp. n. is described after isolation in pure culture from blood, viscera and skin of two-toed (Choloepus hoffmanni) and three-toed (Bradypus griseus) sloths from Costa Rica. Also, it was isolated from the following sandflies: Lutzomyia trapidoi, L. ylephiletor and L. shannoni. The amastigote forms were not seen in the final hosts but they were obtained in tissue culture at 33 C. Both promastigotes and amastigotes failed to infect hamsters. The new parasite is isolated frequently in culture, mixed with other hemoflagellates such as L. braziliensis, Endotrypanum sp. and Trypanosoma rangeli.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Comparison of serum bactericidal activity among three antimicrobial combinations.

Three antimicrobial combinations, ticarcillin plus cephalothin (T+C), ticarcillin plus gentamicin (T+G), and cephalothin plus gentamicin (C+G), were administered to 105 febrile granulocytopenic cancer patients at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center as part of a multi-institutional prospective randomized antibiotic trial. The sera from 32 of these patients (T+C-10 patients, T+G-10 patients, and C+G-12 patients) obtained 1 h post-antibiotic administration were examined for bactericidal activity against 11 strains each of the most common pathogens infecting the granulocytopenic host: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Each of the three antibiotic regimens produced a high degree of bactericidal activity in these sera against S. aureus and E. coli. P. aeruginosa was equally, although poorly, killed by sera containing ticarcillin (T+G, T+C), whereas C+G produced no measurable serocidal activity (P < 0.05). Sera with C+G killed K. pneumoniae more effectively than T+G; T+C produced the least killing effect of the three regimens against this organism (P < 0.05). The bactericidal activity of the serum from these 32 patients supplements the overall clinical results of the multi-institutional antibiotic trial and suggests that T+G is a useful initial regimen for empiric therapy of febrile episodes in granulocytopenic cancer patients.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1978

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis mimicking cancer--a reminder.

Tuberculous involvement of the gastrointestinal tract may be suspected in the presence of active pulmonary tuberculosis. This case demonstrates that tuberculous enteritis may develop in the absence of obvious pulmonary involvement. The diagnosis in such instances is established by a combination of roentgenographic studies and surgical exploration.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Parenteral prophylaxis against enterococcal endocarditis.

Three commonly used antibiotic regimens for the prevention of enterococcal endocarditis were administered parenterally to six healthy men in a crossover manner. The regimens included 1 gm of streptomycin intramuscularly (IM) in combination with (1) procaine penicillin 600,000 units plus aqueous penicillin G 200,000 units IM; or (2) ampicillin 25 mg/kg intravenously (IV); or (3) ampicillin 1 gm IM. The combinations containing ampicillin IM or IV with streptomycin produced bactericidal activity at dilutions of 1:2 or greater for the majority of the strains, whereas the penicillin-streptomycin regimen did not. All regimens were poorly bactericidal against three strains of enterococci which were highly resistant to streptomycin. These data suggest that ampicillin plus streptomycin is the preferred regimen for prophylaxis.

Ampicillin↗