PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Recio

Publications and source records attributed to J Recio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia associated with Legionella pneumophila].

Bronchitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is an unusual pulmonary condition. The clinical features and the radiologic findings are useful for the diagnosis of BOOP. However it is necessary to confirm its presence by an open or transbronchial pulmonary biopsy specimen. BOOP is usually idiopathic, although it may also occur in association with connective tissue disease, some haematologic disorders and in response to viral infections. The association of Legionella pneumophila infection with BOOP is very rare.

Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia↗

[Repercussion of age on management of neoplastic patients in an Internal Medicine Service].

AIM: To determine whether age is a factor affecting the management of patients diagnosed with neoplastic disease in an internal medicine service. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study of 388 patients diagnosed with cancer in the internal medicine service of a large public health teaching hospital. We evaluated clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures, types and stage of neoplasm, referral after hospital discharge and treatment. A comparative study based on age was performed between patients 65 years older and patients under this age. RESULTS: The 388 cancer patients accounted for 12% of hospital admissions in our service. Among the total, 62% were > or = 65 years old. Constitutional syndrome, the most frequently associated symptom and the main reason for the consultation, was more common in the > or = 65-year-old group. Lung cancer was predominant in men and hematologic neoplasms in women. Patients > or = 65 were referred more frequently to internal medicine physicians, general practitioners and home palliative assistance services (p < 0.05) and they received only palliative treatment in a greater percentage of cases (50% vs. 37%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of neoplasms in our service was high (12%), with a considerable percentage of patients in advanced phases of the disease (83%). Age was not related to diagnostic methods nor was it determinant in the staging, but it did have repercussions on treatment; patients > or = 65 received palliative treatment alone more often than younger patients.

Adult↗

Decreased sleep quality in patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa.

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of sleep disturbance in subjects diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), as well as the influence of age and gender. Sleep quality was assessed, by means of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), in people with RP (n=177) and gender-and age-matched normally sighted individuals (n=491). The population was divided, according to their age, in eight decade groups. People on shift-work, with affective disorders or with visual impairment other than RP, were excluded. The influence of cataracts in sleep quality was also studied in non-RP people (n=57), with cataracts significantly impairing visual acuity. Another group of healthy controls (n=190) was studied in different seasons of the year for a possible seasonality in sleep disturbance. Global sleep quality decreased in an age-dependent manner in RP-patients, especially from the second decade of life. Retinitis pigmentosa-patients showed, in relation to age-matched controls: lower subjective sleep quality and efficiency, longer sleep latency, shorter sleep duration, higher daytime dysfunction and a higher use of sleeping medication. No significant differences in sleep quality were found among RP-patients or controls depending either on their gender or on the presence of cataracts. Normal sighted individuals did not show seasonality in their sleep quality. We conclude that the sleep quality of RP-patients decreases in an age-dependent manner and points to the probably degeneration of photoreceptors mediating the photic input to the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus in this disease.

Adolescent↗

The circadian clock, light/dark cycle and melatonin are differentially involved in the expression of daily and photoperiodic variations in mt(1) melatonin receptors in the Siberian and Syrian hamsters.

Mechanisms underlying the daily and photoperiodic variations in mt(1) melatonin receptors were investigated in the pars tuberalis (PT) and suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of Siberian and Syrian hamsters. Whatever its daily profile, melatonin receptor density was strongly increased in both structures and species after constant light exposure or pinealectomy, and decreased after a single melatonin injection, indicating melatonin involvement in the daily regulation of the receptor protein. This was confirmed by a strong inverse correlation between melatonin binding capacity and plasma melatonin concentration. In contrast, regulation of mt(1) mRNA appeared more complex. The circadian clock, the light/dark cycle and melatonin are all implicated in mt(1) gene daily fluctuations, but the extent of their involvement depends upon the structure and the species studied. The photoperiodic decrease in melatonin receptor density observed in short photoperiod (PT of the two hamster species and Syrian hamster SCN) seems to be the consequence of a long-term mt(1) gene repression induced by the lengthening of the melatonin peak. Altogether, these results show that during daily variations, mt(1) melatonin receptor mRNA and protein are differentially regulated, while at the photoperiodic level, the mt(1) protein status depends on mRNA transcription.

Animals↗

Selective changes in the contents of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin in rat brain areas during aging.

This study examines the age-associated changes in noradrenaline (NA), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid (DOPAC), serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in different brain areas of rats. DA and DOPAC concentrations in striatum increased at third month of age, remaining without significant variations until 12th month of age, and decreasing in 24-month-old rats. DA concentration dropped in hippocampus, amygdala and brainstem of 24-month-old-rats, whereas DOPAC levels decreased only in hippocampus. These changes suggest an age-dependent deficit of the dopaminergic system, presumably related to a reduced number/activity of DA nigrostriatal and mesolimbic neurons. An age-induced decline in NA content was found in the pons-medulla, the area containing NA neuronal bodies. Concentrations of 5-HT were reduced with aging in frontal cortex, showing a tendency to decrease in all brain areas examined. The increased 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio found in frontal cortex, amygdala and striatum suggests an age-related decreased synthesis and an accelerated 5-HT metabolism. The 5-HIAA content decreased in brainstem of the oldest rats. These findings point to a selective impairment of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic DA in aging rats, whereas reductions in NA were restricted to cell bodies region and 5-HT showed changes of different extent in areas of terminals and neuronal cell bodies.

Aging↗

The value of chest roentgenography in the diagnosis of pneumothorax after thoracentesis.

PURPOSE: We sought to assess the yield of chest roentgenography for the detection of pneumothorax among hospitalized patients with pleural effusion who have undergone diagnostic or therapeutic thoracentesis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study of 506 thoracentesis procedures in 370 patients. After the procedure, each operator filled out a note recording patient data and the characteristics of the thoracentesis. A chest radiograph was performed within 12 hours after the procedure in all patients. RESULTS: Eighteen (4%) pneumothoraces occurred in 17 patients, 9 (2%) of which required chest tube drainage. Of the 488 patients without symptoms, only 5 (1%) developed a pneumothorax, only 1 of which required chest tube drainage. By contrast, of the 18 patients with symptoms, 13 developed a pneumothorax, 8 of which required chest tubes. There were two independent predictors of pneumothorax: presence of symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 250; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 65 to 980) and male gender (OR = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.9 to 69). CONCLUSIONS: Among the symptom-free patients in our sample, the risk of developing pneumothorax with clinical consequences was so low that the practice of routine chest roentgenography may not be justified.

Chest Tubes↗

Regulation of melatonin receptors in the pars tuberalis of Syrian hamsters transferred from long to short photoperiod: implication of melatonin and testosterone.

The exposure of long day seasonal breeders to a short photoperiod (SP) induces both sexual quiescence and a decrease in pars tuberalis (PT) melatonin receptor density. Therefore, we studied the respective roles of melatonin and testosterone on the regulation of PT melatonin receptors in Syrian hamsters transferred from long photoperiod (LP) to SP. Compared with intact sexually active animals in LP, the density of melatonin receptors was not affected by the absence of melatonin after removal of the pineal gland from animals kept in either SP or LP. In contrast, the presence of a long melatonin peak in the blood which induces gonadal atrophy induced a significant decrease in binding capacity. The SP-induced decrease in PT melatonin receptor density was also observed in castrated animals showing that it was directly regulated by melatonin, independently of circulating testosterone concentrations. However, the absence of testosterone induced an increased binding in LP, while increasing blood testosterone concentration after implantation of one testosterone-filled silastic tube resulted in a decrease in binding both in LP-and in SP-animals. These results indicate that testosterone induces a photoperiod-independent decrease in PT melatonin receptor density. In summary, these results show that both melatonin and testosterone have negative regulatory effects on the density of PT melatonin receptors.

Animals↗

Daily and photoperiodic 2-125I-melatonin binding changes in the pars tuberalis of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus): effect of constant light exposure and pinealectomy.

Using quantitative autoradiography, 2-125I-melatonin binding was investigated throughout the light/dark cycle in the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary of adult Syrian hamsters kept for 8 weeks either in long or short photoperiod (LP or SP, respectively). Melatonin receptor density in the PT displayed photoperiod dependent daily variations (maximal values in LP). Indeed, in LP, melatonin receptor density underwent strong daily variations with maximal values during the first half of the light period and minimal values at the end of the night. These variations depended on changes in the maximal binding (Bmax) without differences in the dissociation constant (Kd). In contrast, PT melatonin receptor density was constant and at a very low level throughout the light:dark cycle in SP exposed animals. Daily PT melatonin receptor density variations of LP exposed animals were abolished by pinealectomy or continuous light exposure. These results show clearly that both at the daily and at the seasonal level the regulation of PT melatonin receptors is strongly dependent on circulating melatonin concentrations in the Syrian hamster, but that other regulatory factors, yet unclarified, might also play a role.

Animals↗

Changes with age in daytime and nighttime contents of melatonin, indoleamines, and catecholamines in the pineal gland: a comparative study in rat and Syrian hamster.

Previous studies in rodents showed a severe deterioration of pineal physiology with aging. The present study investigated the age-related changes in the content of monoamines and metabolites in rat and Syrian hamster pineal gland. In addition to melatonin, the levels of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), serotonin (5HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), N-acetylserotonin (N-Ac-SHT), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and noradrenaline (NA) were measured by HPLC. Pronounced reductions were found in 5HT and 5HIAA contents during daytime in rats of 24 months, which had not been observed in animals of 12 months. In addition, nighttime pineal 5HIAA, N-Ac-5HT, and melatonin contents were decreased in the old rats, although a significant day:night variation persisted. Also a diurnal fluctuation in NA, DA, and DOPAC contents was present in young and middle-aged rats but not for NA and DOPAC in the oldest rats due to a decrease in the nighttime levels. Pineal DA levels were also reduced in 24-month-old rats during the night, although a marked day:night change was still found. In the Syrian hamster pineal, significant reductions in daytime 5HT and 5HIAA were found respectively at 12 and 18 months, while nighttime levels of these compounds were decreased from 18 months. The nocturnal content of N-Ac-5HT dropped gradually from 12 months, and melatonin was reduced by 74% and 86% in hamsters of 18 and 24 months, respectively. In all these compounds, a significant day:night variation was observed irrespective of age. However, neither a day:night variation nor an effect of aging was found in terms of pineal NA content. In contrast, pineal DA and DOPAC levels displayed a diurnal variation in hamsters of 1.5 and 6 months, but not in animals of 12 and 18 months due a reduced nighttime content. These data suggest that the decline of pineal melatonin with age is a consequence of a deficit in the pathway of serotonin utilization. This probably is explained by a reduced N-acetyltransferase activity, which may be linked to impaired pineal catecholaminergic neurotransmission.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Effects of two melatonin analogues, S-20098 and S-20928, on melatonin receptors in the pars tuberalis of the rat.

By using quantitative autoradiography, we studied the effects of two drugs related to melatonin on the 2-(125)I-melatonin binding in the pars tuberalis (PT) of rats. The drugs tested were two naphthalenic analogues of melatonin, S-20098 (N-[2-(7-methoxy-1-naphthyl) ethyl] acetamide), an agonist, and S-20928 (N-[2-(1-naphthyl) ethyl] cyclobutyl carboxamide), a putative antagonist. Melatonin (s.c. and i.p.), S-20098 (s.c.), and S-20928 (i.p.) were injected 4 hr before sacrifice. Acute administration of both melatonin and S-20098 decreased melatonin receptor density. In contrast, the putative antagonist S-20928, at a low dose (1 mg/kg), was ineffective on melatonin receptors. It neither affected the 2-(125)I-melatonin specific binding observed in the control group nor did it prevent the decrease in binding induced by melatonin when injected 5 min before the hormone. At a high dose (10 mg/kg), S-20928 totally blocked the effect of melatonin on melatonin receptor density and induced a decrease in binding capacity as melatonin did when injected alone. These results indicate that in the rat pars tuberalis, the melatonin agonist, S-20098, is able to down-regulate melatonin receptors, whereas S-20928 seems to behave as a partial agonist.

Acetamides↗

Synchronizing circadian rhythms in early infancy.

Entrainment to the 24-hour light-dark cycle is of adaptive significance to mammals. Human infants are no exception, but some postnatal care habits prevalent in developed countries can interfere with the physiological mechanisms underlying circadian synchronization. We describe the physiological mechanisms of entrainment to the light-dark cycle in fetuses and newborns, and some common parental care behaviors which subject the developing circadian system of the newborn to conflicting temporal cues. Improvements in parental care are proposed which may improve the circadian synchronization of newborns, and their parents or caregivers.

Animals↗

[Study of 86 cases of Mediterranean boutonneuse fever hospitalized at a university hospital].

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical manifestations of 86 patients with Mediterranean Boutonneuse Fever who were admitted in a University General Hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1986 and 1994 we studied retrospectively the clinical manifestations, evolution and complications of 86 patients with Mediterranean Boutonneuse Fever. Diagnosis was based on clinical and serological findings. RESULTS: We studied a total of 86 patients (64 males; 22 females) with a mean age of 55 years. 88% of cases were diagnosed between June and September, and 89% of them had contact with dogs. 53% of patients had an underlying disease. All patients presented with fever and a generalized erythematous rash. 60% of patients had a initial lesion (tache noire) especially in legs. All patients were treated with doxicycline during one week. 22% of patients had complications such as renal failure, respiratory failure, gastrointestinal bleeding and stroke. Old patients and those with underlying disease had severe complications with a higher significant frequency. No patients died. CONCLUSIONS: 22% of patients with Mediterranean Boutonneuse Fever, especially those with advanced age or underlying disease, who were admitted in the Hospital had severe complications.

Adolescent↗

Melatonin receptors in the suprachiasmatic nuclei and pars tuberalis of testosterone induced photoresponsive rats.

The sexual axis of rats can be rendered photoresponsive by testosterone implants. We have studied in these conditions whether rat pars tuberalis (PT) melatonin receptor density would be decreased after exposure to short photoperiod (SP) like as observed in long day seasonal breeders. The answer is no, but we observed that testosterone induced a photoperiod independent decrease in PT melatonin receptor density. These results show that testosterone-induced photosensitivity in rat is not linked to an SP-induced decrease in PT melatonin receptor density. However, testosterone regulates PT melatonin receptors independently of the photoperiod.

Animals↗

Modulation of the length of the cell cycle time of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by melatonin.

It has been shown that melatonin has a direct inhibitory effect on the proliferation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture. In the present work, we studied whether the length of the cell cycle of MCF-7 cells in increased by melatonin. In MCF-7 cells partially synchronized and labelled with [3H]thymidine, melatonin (10(-9)M), added to the culture medium, shifted the period of the labeling index rhythm from 20.36 hours to 23.48 hours. The fact that melatonin significantly increased (p<0.005) the duration of the cell cycle of human breast cancer cells, support the notion that this hormone exerts part of its antitumor effect through a cell-cycle-specific mechanism by delaying the entry of MCF-7 cells into mitosis.

Breast Neoplasms↗