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L Ojeda

Publications and source records attributed to L Ojeda.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Role of the cytoskeleton in endocytosis of the yeast maltose transporter.

Certain components of the cytoskeleton play a role in yeast fluid-phase endocytosis as well as in endocytosis of the alpha-factor when this pheromone is bound to its 7-transmembrane segment receptor. The yeast maltose transporter is a 12-transmembrane segment protein that, under certain physiological conditions, is degraded in the vacuole after internalization by endocytosis. In this work, the possible role of the cytoskeleton in endocytosis of this transporter has been investigated. Using mutants defective in beta-tubulin, actin and the actin-binding proteins Sac6 and Abp85. as well as nocodazole, which inhibits formation of microtubules, we have shown that actin microfilaments are involved in endocytosis of the maltose transporter whereas microtubules are not.

Actins

Early experience with Walsh technique of radical retropubic prostatectomy.

We analyzed the operative experience and postoperative and late complications of pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy in 27 consecutive cases in which the modifications of prostatectomy described by Walsh were employed, and compared the results with those of 29 cases performed in the preceding three years when the Campbell technique of prostatectomy was employed. The mean operative time, mean blood loss, and incidences of early postoperative complications and incontinence were less for patients treated with the Walsh technique than with the Campbell technique. After surgery 85 per cent of evaluable patients remained potent with the Walsh technique compared with 16 per cent of patients treated with the Campbell technique. Although other factors besides operative approach may have biased our results, we are persuaded that the innovations of radical retropubic prostatectomy detailed by Walsh constitute important advances in surgical technique, and we now use this procedure in all suitable patients electing treatment by radical prostatectomy for localized prostatic cancer.

Erectile Dysfunction

Apalcillin treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.

In an open, prospective clinical trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of apalcillin in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infection. 21 hospitalized adult patients received apalcillin 2 g IV Q8-12 h for 5-17 days. There were 8 upper tract and 13 lower tract infections. Of 25 functional or anatomic abnormalities of the GU tract among these patients, 9 (36%) were corrected during the study period. Effectiveness of apalcillin was determined by clinical and bacteriologic response. 16 (76.2%) patients had clinical cures, 4 (19.8%) had clinical improvement, and 1 (4.8%) had clinical failure. Based on 26 pretreatment isolates, there were 16 (61.5%) bacteriologic cures and 10 (38.5%) failures. Failures were due to 6 (23.1%) relapses, 2 (7.7%) superinfections, and 2 (7.7%) relapses with superinfection. Adverse reactions were mild, transient, and did not require discontinuation of treatment. Apalcillin appears to be a safe, although marginally effective single agent antibiotic for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.

Adult

Lymphocele formation after extraperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy: possible predisposing factors.

A retrospective review of 61 patients undergoing pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed to assess possible predisposing factors for lymphocele development. The procedure was done to facilitate staging of prostatic carcinoma in all of the patients. The complication occurred in 9 patients (14.8 per cent). Analysis revealed a statistically significantly higher incidence of lymphoceles in patients without drainage (p less than 0.05) and in patients whose lymph nodes had no metastatic disease (p less than 0.025). Furthermore, 9 patients (without drainage and with nodes that were free of tumor but who received mini-dose heparin therapy) as a subgroup had the highest incidence of lymphocele formation. Although these individual factors have been attributed to this complication after lymphadenectomy they may act synergistically.

Adenocarcinoma

Comparison of leuprolide and diethylstilbestrol for stage D2 adenocarcinoma of prostate.

In a controlled, prospective, randomized clinical trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of leuprolide, a superactive analog of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, given in a single subcutaneous injection dose of 1 mg per day, versus diethylstilbestrol (DES) 3 mg per day by mouth in patients with previously untreated Stage D2 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Eleven leuprolide patients and 10 DES patients were evaluated for therapeutic response. Eighty per cent of patients in each group experienced subjective improvement in bone pain and urinary obstructive signs and symptoms. Although the pooled percentages of complete, partial, and stable objective responses were greater for the leuprolide group than the DES group, the sums of the percentages of complete and partial objective responses were comparable for both treatment groups during the first forty-eight and sixty weeks of the study, respectively. In addition, patients not responding to leuprolide generally experienced no benefit with crossover to DES, and vice versa. Serious adverse reactions were more common in the DES group and included fatal myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, deep venous thrombosis, and gynecomastia. Vasomotor flushing, disease flare, and injection site irritation occurred most often in leuprolide patients, but did not require modification or discontinuation of treatment.

Acid Phosphatase

Comparative efficacy of piperacillin versus carbenicillin for complicated urinary tract infections.

In this controlled, randomized clinical trial we compared piperacillin and carbenicillin in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections. 24 patients received piperacillin 150 mg/kg/day for 7.2 +/- 2.75 days and 17 patients received carbenicillin 200 mg/kg/day for 7.5 +/- 2.90 days. Patients were evaluated for clinical and bacteriologic responses and tolerance to therapy. Although the clinical cure rate significantly favored carbenicillin treatment (p less than 0.01), the sum of the percentages of cases with clinical cure and clinical improvement were similar between groups: 91.6% for piperacillin and 88.2% for carbenicillin. The bacteriologic cure rates for piperacillin and carbenicillin patients (54.1 and 47.0%, respectively) were not significantly different (p greater than 0.05). The low cure rates in our study were probably the result of uncorrected/uncorrectable genitourinary tract abnormalities. Superinfections developed in 12.5 and 17.6% of piperacillin and carbenicillin patients, respectively, and were due to Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter diversus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Overall, side effects were mild, reversible, and did not require discontinuation of treatment. However, carbenicillin caused elevations in liver enzymes more frequently than piperacillin (p less than 0.05). Based on our data, we recommend reserving piperacillin monotherapy for patients who are poor candidates for aminoglycosides, or are on severe sodium restriction, and have serious complicated urinary tract infections due to susceptible organisms. We do not recommend piperacillin alone for empiric treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.

Bacterial Infections

Partial cystectomy: can it be incorporated into integrated therapy program?

A retrospective study of 23 partial cystectomies for bladder cancer performed during a twelve-year period revealed no operative deaths and a low morbidity. Bladder capacity was little affected by the use of preoperative radiotherapy, and complications were minimal. The results suggest that protracted radiotherapy can be used preoperatively without adversely influencing operative complications.

Adult

Preliminary report comparing piperacillin and carbenicillin for complicated urinary tract infections.

Piperacillin is a new semisynthetic penicillin with a broad spectrum of in vitro activity against common gram-negative urinary tract pathogens. We compared the efficacy and safety of piperacillin versus carbenicillin in patients with complicated urinary tract infection. A total of 56 adult patients (mean age 55 years) in stable medical condition with 1 or more structural genitourinary abnormalities entered the study. Of these patients 27 were evaluated for antibiotic efficacy. There were 20 lower tract and 7 upper tract infections, of which 17 were acute and 10 were chronic. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: 17 patients with 18 organisms received single agent treatment with 181 mg. per kg. intravenous piperacillin daily for 6 days and 10 patients with 11 organisms received 270 mg. per kg. intravenous carbenicillin daily for 6 days. Infecting organisms were Escherichia coli 45 per cent, Proteus mirabilis 14 per cent, Klebsiella pneumoniae 14 per cent. Enterobacter species 10 per cent, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7 per cent and so forth. Antimicrobial susceptibility assessed by measurement of minimal inhibitory concentration and disk diffusion zone size demonstrated superior activity of piperacillin over carbenicillin for most micro-organisms tested. All patients responded clinically. The bacteriologic cure rate was 72 per cent at 5 to 9 days after therapy in both groups. Three patients who received piperacillin had urosepsis and were cured. No resistance emerged during therapy. Superinfections developed in 5 patients on carbenicillin (50 per cent) and in 4 patients on piperacillin (24 per cent), and none was resistant to piperacillin. Superinfections were attributed to catheterization and structural genitourinary abnormalities. The over-all incidence of adverse effects in patients on piperacillin was less than that of those on carbenicillin, 31 and 51 per cent respectively. Side effects in both groups were mild and did not require discontinuation of therapy. There were no significant alterations in fluid and electrolyte balance, or hematologic or renal function.

Adolescent