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Biomedical subjects

J Pareja

Publications and source records attributed to J Pareja.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Cryopreservation of murine embryos, human spermatozoa and embryonic stem cells using a liquid nitrogen-free, controlled rate freezer.

A Stirling Cycle Cryocooler has been developed as an alternative to conventional liquid nitrogen controlled rate freezers. Unlike liquid nitrogen systems, the Stirling Cycle freezer does not pose a contamination risk, can be used in sterile conditions and has no need for a constant supply of cryogen. Three types of samples from two species (murine embryos, human spermatozoa and embryonic stem cells), each requiring different cooling protocols, were cryopreserved in the Stirling Cycle freezer. For comparison, cells were also frozen in a conventional liquid nitrogen controlled rate freezer. Upon thawing, the rates of survival of viable cells were generally greater than 50% for mouse embryos and human embryonic stem cells, based on morphology (mouse embryos) and staining and colony formation (human embryonic stem cells). Survival rates of human spermatozoa frozen in the Stirling Cycle freezer, based on motility and dead cell staining, were similar to those of samples frozen in a conventional controlled rate freezer using liquid nitrogen.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Juxtapapillary capillary hemangioma and central serous retinopathy: description of a case with spontaneous resolution].

CASE REPORT: A patient presented with a unilateral decrease of visual acuity and was found to have a juxtapapillary capillary hemangioma by ophthalmoscopy (confirmed by fluorescein angiography) and atrophy in the retinal pigmentary epithelium with leakage points suggesting bilateral central serous retinopathy. Spontaneous resolution of the hemangioma, as well as the central serous retinopathy, subsequently occurred. DISCUSSION: The decrease of visual acuity in a patient with a juxtapapillary capillary hemangioma has been associated with complications from the lesion itself, but an association of central serous retinopathy, as a possible predisposing factor, has not been previously described.

Fluorescein Angiography↗
PubMed1998

Influence of exhaustive treadmill exercise on cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exhaustive exercise on cognitive performance of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and sedentary healthy controls (CON). Subjects were 19 women with CFS and 20 CON. A test battery consisting of 4 cognitive tests (CTB) was given pre-, immediately post-, and 24 hours post-treadmill exercise to exhaustion. No differences were seen on the CTB pre-exercise. CFS patients improved at a slower rate than CON on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Stroop Word Test (SWT), and Stroop Color Test (SCT). When compared with CON, a lower number of correct responses was seen for the CFS immediately postexercise on the SDMT (61 +/- 3 vs 66 +/- 2), SWT (137 +/- 6 vs 146 +/- 6), and SCT (99 +/- 4 vs 107 +/- 3), and 24 hours postexercise on the SDMT (64 +/- 3 vs 69 +/- 2), SWT (134 +/- 7 vs 148 +/- 5), and SCT (101 +/- 4 vs 106 +/- 3). We conclude that after physically demanding exercise, CFS subjects demonstrated impaired cognitive processing compared with healthy individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Randomized, double blind, controlled placebo-phase in trial of low dose phenelzine in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Because of the striking similarity of the clinical manifestations produced by use of the drug reserpine and seen in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), we theorized that CFS was a disorder of reduced central sympathetic drive. Because of the pharmacology of control of this central sympathetic system, we further postulated that CFS symptoms would respond quickly to low dose treatment with a monamine oxidase inhibitor. To test these hypotheses, we designed a randomized, double blind placebo controlled study using phenelzine. No patient in the trial had a diagnosis of lifetime or current psychiatric disorder and none had depressed mood in the range of clinically depressed patients on a paper and pencil test of depression. Patients in the placebo group received placebo for 6 weeks while those in the drug treatment group were treated in three 2-week segments-placebo, 15 mg phenelzine every other day, and then 15 mg daily. This treatment regimen produced a significant pattern of improvement compared to worsening in 20 self report vehicles of CFS symptoms, illness severity, mood or functional status. Thus the data support our hypothesis of reduced sympathetic drive, although an alternative hypothesis of pain alleviation is also possible. The study design also allowed us to evaluate patients for a placebo effect: no evidence for this was found, suggesting that CFS is not an illness due to patients' being overly suggestible.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua. Interval between indomethacin administration and response.

The interval between indomethacin dosage and clinical response was assessed in hemicrania continua (n = 12) and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (n = 11) sufferers. The number of trials per patient ranged from 1 to 30. At the time of testing, the patients had "considerable" pain after discontinuation of the drug. The dosage used was the usual one for that patient at the given pain level; ie, 25 or 50 mg tid. All the patients had a complete, long-term response to treatment. Nevertheless, the average interval between drug intake and pain relief during the present study ranged between 30 minutes and 48 hours in both disorders. In most patients (10 in both groups), the indomethacin effect was complete within 24 hours, and frequently within 8 hours. It is suggested that interindividual differences in dosage and timing to abolish the headaches may be due to different bioavailability or individual sensitivity. Recommendations on indomethacin testing in unilateral headaches are given.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

SUNCT syndrome: repetitive and overlapping attacks.

A 79-year-old patient had been suffering from right orbital pain attacks since he was 77. The pain, of an "electrical" or burning character, was moderate to severe in intensity. Single attacks lasted for 30-60 seconds each and were accompanied by prominent ipsilateral conjunctival injection and tearing as well as slight rhinorrhoea. The temporal pattern of attacks was irregular with spontaneous remissions alternating with unpredictable symptomatic phases. During active periods, attacks could be triggered by several precipitants acting on trigeminal and extra-trigeminal innervated areas. On most occasions, the patient had 2-3 attacks daily but, at worst, he might have almost continuous short-lasting attacks in periods of 1 to 3 hours length. When attacks had such frequency they presented either as repetitive or overlapping single episodes. According to the clinical features it is concluded that the case reported is a new case of SUNCT syndrome.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania coexisting with migraine. Differential response to pharmacological treatment.

A 30 year old woman, suffering from migraine for 14 years, started having chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) attacks at the age of 29. Both types of headache coexisted for a year without any apparent influence of one type on the other. Treatment with indomethacin had a dramatic effect on the CPH attacks but did not modify the course of the migraine. The independent clinical courses and the differential response to indomethacin are consistent with the knowledge that both types of headache are different and that there is no relationship between them. Owing to the high prevalence of migraine it is likely that some CPH sufferers may have a familial or personal history of migraine; therefore the conjunction of CPH and migraine occurs by chance.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[The multiple sleep latency test in the diagnosis of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia].

The diagnostic differential between narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia may be difficult in those cases which clinically manifest only hypersomnia and the nocturnal polygraphic study does not show any differences between both diseases, particularly when the beginning of REM sleep is not presented in narcoleptic patients. The multiple sleep latency test is an objective test of daytime hypersomnia in both diseases. Moreover, if 2 or more REM periods are registered altogether in the 4 or 5 siestas studied, the test is highly suggestive of narcolepsy and permits sure differentiation with idiopathic hypersomnia. In the present study, the multiple sleep latency test permitted the diagnosis of the cases of oligosymptomatic narcolepsy and absence of the beginning of REM sleep.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Hemicrania continua. The first Spanish case: a case report.

The case of a patient suffering from strictly unilateral continuous headache, absolutely responsive to indomethacin is reported. This is the first Hemicrania continua case to be documented in Spain. The tyramine test resulted in anisocoria with the smaller pupil on the symptomatic side. A second tyramine test after one week on 75 mg indomethacin per day failed to produce anisocoria. Treatment was reduced to 25 mg indomethacin per day, and this dose was sufficient to control the headache completely.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

"Hemicrania episodica"--a new type of headache or a pre-chronic stage of hemicrania continua?

For seventeen years, a young man suffered from headaches of one to three days duration occurring once every six or seven days and totally disappearing between episodes. These were strictly unilateral (always on the left side), and were absolutely responsive to indomethacin. They differ clinically from the other two indomethacin-responsive headaches described up to now: Hemicrania Continua (HC) and Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania (CPH). He has a sister suffering from HC. Similar to HC, but unlike CPH, topical tyramine in our patient's eyes resulted in anisocoria before, but not after, indomethacin treatment. Our case differs from HC, however, in its time pattern; it could either be a pre-chronic stage of HC or a new type of headache. It seems unlikely that a time pattern that has remained unchanged for 17 years will become continuous, as in HC, in the future, and thus it is possible that our patient represents a case of a new type of headache that we propose to name "Hemicrania Episodica." In any case, it seems probable that this type of headache, although clinically different, may share a common pathogenic basis with HC.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Temporal minor slow and sharp EEG activity and cerebrovascular disorder.

The clinical significance of temporal minor slow and sharp activity (TMSSA) is discussed on the basis of earlier literature and personal observations (209 patients, 227 EEG records). This pattern consists of mixed 2-7/sec and 8-14/sec activity with intermingled minor sharp transients (occasionally even frank spikes) over the anterior temporal-midtemporal region and, in the vast majority (84% in our material) predominantly on the left side. This pattern is most prominent in early drowsiness, and may change to rhythmical spiky discharges in light NREM sleep ("wicket spikes"). The origin of TMSSA is unclear. There is reason to believe that hippocampic ischemia might be the underlying substratum but the evidence remains tenuous. Vertebrobasilar artery insufficiency states may result in TMSSA since the hippocampus largely depends on this vascular system (via posterior cerebral artery). The occurrence of TMSSA usually represents a mild abnormality of potentially considerable clinical significance.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Iris melanocytoma mimicking the Cogan-Reese syndrome with monocular pigment dissemination.

PURPOSE: To report a case of iris melanocytoma mimicking the Cogan-Reese syndrome. METHODS: A 37-year-old woman presented with pigmentary glaucoma in her left eye. There was diffuse pigmentary dispersion in the anterior segment, pedunculated pigmented nodules on the anterior iris surface, mild iris atrophy, and ectropion iridis. Neither intrinsic vasculature nor a sector cataract was found. The angle was open with marked trabecular pigmentation and no anterior synechiae. The intraocular pressure was 30 mmHg with maximum medical treatment and there was glaucomatous optic atrophy. The differential diagnosis included iris pigmented tumor and iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (Cogan-Reese syndrome). An iris biopsy was performed for diagnostic purposes. RESULTS: Histologic diagnosis after evaluation of the specimen was iris melanocytoma. CONCLUSIONS: This case presents signs considered quasi-pathognomonic of iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (Cogan-Reese syndrome): glaucoma, mild iris atrophy associated with pedunculated iris nodules, and ectropion iridis. Therefore, iris melanocytoma can present with features that mimic the Cogan-Reese syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Colombia].

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the commonest demyelinating condition of the nervous system. It is characterized by numerous demyelinating areas or plaques of demyelination which are found dispersed throughout the nervous system. It has been shown that MS is less frequent in tropical regions than in subtropical regions. In Latin America particularly, there are some studies which show this phenomenon. However, in Colombia no studies of prevalence of MS have been done. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in five provinces of Colombia (Antioquia, Caldas, Santander, Risaralda and Bolivar). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The capture-recapture method was used for two sources to determine the number of cases defined on the criteria of Poser et al seen between July 1995 and June 2000. RESULTS: The prevalence (cases of MS per 100,000 inhabitants) varied between 1.48 in Antioquia (95% CI 1.12; 1.78) and 4.98 in Risaralda (95% CI 3.52; 6.43). Seventy two percent were women. The regions included in this study represented 25% of the population of Colombia. CONCLUSIONS: There is a low prevalence of MS which is as expected in tropical areas. Persons with MS in these regions may be very useful in the study of other factors involved in the aetiology of MS (genetic). The capture-recapture method is an excellent tool for carrying out prevalence studies since it is cheap and requires little time.

Colombia↗