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L Torres

Publications and source records attributed to L Torres.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

99mTc-labeled antihuman epidermal growth factor receptor antibody in patients with tumors of epithelial origin: Part III. Clinical trials safety and diagnostic efficacy.

UNLABELLED: Monoclonal antibody (moAb) ior egf/r3 is an IgG2a that recognizes the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the 99mTc-labeled moAb ior egf/r3 for the detection of epithelial-derived tumors, their metastases and recurrences. METHODS: One hundred forty-eight adult patients (51 women, 97 men; mean age 53 +/- 13 y) who were suspected of having cancer of epithelial origin were administered 3 mg/50 mCi (1.85 GBq) 99mTc-labeled moAb ior egf/r3 by intravenous bolus injection. Planar anterior and posterior images of the lesion sites and suspected metastases were acquired at 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after injection, and SPECT images were scanned at 5 h postinjection, using a 360 degrees circular orbit with 64 images. The backprojection method was used for image reconstruction with a Hamming-Hann filter. RESULTS: Labeling efficiency was always greater than 98.5% +/- 2.1 %. No adverse reactions or side effects were observed. Results of the biopsy specimens showed that 85.1% (126/148) of the patients had tumors of epithelial origin, 14.2% (21/148) were negative and 0.7% (1/148) had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The sensitivity rate by organ was as follows: brain (8/8, 100%), digestive tract (10/11, 90.9%), head and neck (17/23, 73.9%), lung (52/62, 83.9%) and breast (16/18, 88.9%). Overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of the immunoscintigraphic imaging were 84.2% (106/126), 100.0% (22/22), 86.5% (128/148), 100% (106/106) and 52.4% (22/42), respectively. New metastases not identified previously by other diagnostic methods were detected in the 50% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Immunoscintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled moAb ior egf/r3 could be a useful procedure for the diagnosis and follow-up of the patients with tumors of epithelial origin.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Beneficial effects of diphenhydramine in dystonia.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of diphenhydramine hydrochloride (DPH) in dystonic patients. In 1995, Truong et al reported encouraging results in five patients with idiopathic torsion dystonia (ITD) treated with DPH, an H1 antagonist with sedative and anticholinergic properties. Five patients with generalized ITD, one with secondary generalized dystonia and one with idiopathic segmental dystonia were included in the prospective study. Initially the response to intravenous administration of DPH versus placebo in two sessions a week apart was evaluated. Two weeks later all patients started oral DPH in increasing doses (range 100-300 mg, mean 164 mg). The degree of dystonia was determined by a modified University of Columbia Scale evaluating the baseline score, after placebo and DPH I.V. administration then at one and six months after starting oral treatment. The results were analyzed by Friedman's test for repeated measurements. On comparing scores for baseline severity, I.V. placebo and I.V. DPH presented a highly significant correlation (12.09; p = 0.00) as well as comparing baseline score with oral DPH at one and 6 months, treatment (12.78; p = 0.00). Functional score results were 9.5 p = 0.01 and 8.4 p = 0.02 at one and 6 months respectively. The most common side effects were somnolence and dizziness. It can be concluded that DPH proved effective in our patients with mild to moderate adverse effects not requiring drug withdrawal in any case. However, I.V. challenge was unable to predict the long-term response to oral medication perhaps due to the limited number of cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Transformed but not normal hepatocytes express UCP2.

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) expression in liver is restricted to non-parenchymal cells. By means of differential display screening between normal rat liver and H4IIE hepatoma cells we have isolated a cDNA clone encompassing part of UCP2 cDNA. Northern blot analysis revealed that UCP2 is expressed in some hepatocarcinoma cell lines, while it is absent in adult hepatocytes. UCP2 mRNA in H4IIE cells was downregulated when cells were cultured for 36 h in 0.1% serum and its expression was restored upon addition of 10% serum or phorbol esters. Hypomethylation of UCP2 was observed in transformed UCP2 expressing cells. Our results indicate that UCP2 is expressed in some hepatocarcinoma cell lines and that serum components may participate in maintaining elevated UCP2 levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Frequency of Y chromosomal material in Mexican patients with Ullrich-Turner syndrome.

Cytogenetic studies have shown that 40-60% of patients with Ullrich-Turner syndrome (UTS) are 45,X, whereas the rest have structural aberrations of the X chromosome or mosaicism with a second cell line containing a structurally normal or abnormal X or Y chromosome. However, molecular analysis has demonstrated a higher proportion of mosaicism, and studies in different populations have shown an extremely variable frequency of Y mosaicism of 0-61%. We used Southern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the presence of Ycen, ZFY, SRY, and Yqh in 50 Mexican patients with UTS and different karyotypes to determine the origin of marker chromosomes and the presence of Y sequences. Our results indicated the origin of the marker chromosome in 1 patient and detected the presence of Y sequences in 4 45,X patients. Taken together, we found a 12% incidence of Y sequences in individuals with UTS. The amount of Y-derived material was variable, making the correlation between phenotype and molecular data difficult. Only 1 patient had a gonadoblastoma. We discuss the presence of Y chromosomes or Y sequences in patients with UTS and compare our frequency with that previously reported.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The novel benzodiazepine inverse agonist RO19-4603 antagonizes ethanol motivated behaviors: neuropharmacological studies.

The novel imidazothienodiazepine inverse agonist RO19-4603 has been reported to attenuate EtOH intake in home cage drinking tests for at least 24 h post-drug administration after systemic administration. In the present study, selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) rats were trained under a concurrent (FR4-FR4) operant schedule to press one lever for EtOH (10% v/v) and another lever for saccharin (0.05% or 0.75% g/v), then dose-response and timecourse effects of RO19-4603 were evaluated. Systemic RO19-4603 injections (0.0045-0.3 mg/kg; i.p.) profoundly reduced EtOH responding by as much as 97% of vehicle control on day 1. No effects were seen on saccharin responding except with the highest dose level (0.3 mg/kg). In a second experiment, microinjections of RO19-4603 (2-100 ng) directly into the nucleus accumbens (NA) suppressed EtOH responding on day 1 by as much as 53% of control: Control injections dorsal to the NA or ventral tegmental area did not significantly alter EtOH or saccharin responding. On day 2, rats in both experiments received no RO19-4603 treatments; however, all 7 of the i.p. doses, and all 3 of the intra-NA infusions continued to significantly suppress EtOH responding by 43-85% of vehicle control levels. In addition, i.p. injections of RO19-4603 produced a dose-dependent decrease in the slope of the cumulative record for EtOH responding, while concomitantly producing a dose-dependent increase in the slope for saccharin responding. RO19-4603's actions appear to be mediated via recognition sites at GABAA-BDZ receptors which regulate EtOH reinforcement, and not via mechanisms regulating ingestive behaviors. Based on recent in situ hybridization studies in our laboratory, we hypothesize that occupation of alpha4 containing GABAA diazepam insensitive (DI) receptors in the NA, may mediate in part, the RO19-4603 suppression of EtOH responding in EtOH-seeking P rats.

Alcohol Deterrents↗
PubMed1998

Benzodiazepine receptor antagonists modulate the actions of ethanol in alcohol-preferring and -nonpreferring rats.

The pyrazoloquinoline CGS 8216 (2-phenylpyrazolo-[4,3-c]-quinolin-3 (5H)-one, 0.05-2 mg/kg) and the beta-carboline ZK 93426 (ethyl-5-isopropyl-4-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate, 1-10 mg/kg) benzodiazepine receptor antagonists were evaluated for their capacity to modulate the behavioral actions of ethanol in alcohol preferring and -nonpreferring rats. When alcohol-preferring rats were presented with a two-bottle choice test between ethanol (10% v/v) and a saccharin (0.0125% g/v) solution, both antagonists dose-dependently reduced intake of ethanol by 35-92% of control levels on day 1 at the initial 15 min interval of the 4 h limited access. Saccharin drinking was suppressed only with the highest doses. CGS 8216 (0.25 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (4 mg/kg) unmasked the anxiolytic effects of a hypnotic ethanol dose (1.5 g/kg ethanol) on the plus maze test in alcohol-preferring rats, but potentiated the ethanol-induced suppression in alcohol-nonpreferring rats. CGS 8216 (0.25 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (4 mg/kg) attenuated the ethanol (0.5 and 1.5 g/kg)-induced suppression in the open field in alcohol-nonpreferring rats; however, CGS 8216 potentiated the depressant effects of the lower ethanol dose (0.5 g/kg) in alcohol-preferring rats. These findings provide evidence that benzodiazepine receptor antagonists may differentially modulate the behavioral actions of ethanol in alcohol-preferring and-nonpreferring rats. It is possible that the qualitative pharmacodynamic differences seen in the present study may be related to selective breeding for alcohol preference. The findings indicate the potential for development of receptor specific ligands devoid of toxic effects which may be useful in the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1998

High-affinity benzodiazepine antagonists reduce responding maintained by ethanol presentation in ethanol-preferring rats.

In the present study, we examined two high-affinity and selective benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptor antagonists (ZK 93426, CGS 8216) in ethanol (EtOH)-preferring rats whose responding (i.e., lever pressing) was maintained by the presentation of EtOH. The in vivo actions of CGS 8216 (1-30 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (5-75 mg/kg) were examined after intraperitoneal or oral administration. Flumazenil (10-40 mg/kg) was used as a reference BDZ antagonist. EtOH (10% v/v) and saccharin (0.05 g/v) solutions were concurrently available for 30 min each day under a two-lever fixed-ratio schedule in which four responses on one lever produced the EtOH solution and four responses on the other lever produced the saccharin solution. A 40 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection of flumazenil given on the first injection day (day 1) nonsignificantly reduced control levels of responding maintained by EtOH by 36%. No effects were observed 24 hr after drug administration (day 2). Oral administration of flumazenil was without effect. On day 1, intraperitoneal administration of CGS 8216 (1-20 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (1-50 mg/kg) reduced control levels of responding maintained by EtOH by 44% to 73%; on day 2, EtOH maintained responding continued to be suppressed with the highest doses (> or = 20 mg/kg) suppressing control levels of responding by as much as 62%. Oral administration of higher doses of CGS 8216 (5-30 mg/kg) and ZK 93426 (10-75 mg/kg) reduced responding maintained by EtOH by as much as 54% to 84% of controls; however, no effects were seen on day 2. Only the highest intraperitoneal dose of ZK 93426 (50 mg/kg) suppressed responding maintained by saccharin. These findings demonstrate that some BDZ antagonists decrease responding maintained by EtOH. The findings suggest that certain BDZ antagonists may have potential as pharmacotherapies to prevent or decrease EtOH abuse in humans.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Incidence of Cryptosporidium in Zaragoza: an 8-year study (1989-1996)].

BACKGROUND: To study the incidence of Cryptosporidium infections over an eight year period in an urban area, together with the patients background and the season of the year. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1989 to December 1996, all 32,733 stool samples from 13,639 patients: children and immunocompromised adults, with presumed infective diarrhoea, were investigated for Cryptosporidium oocysts by the Department of Microbiology, Miguel Servet Hospital, Zaragoza (Spain). RESULTS: Cryptosporidial infection was identified in a 3% of the total children, been the positivity rate highest in the 2-year old group. We visualized oocysts in the 8% of the immunocompromised patients, all of them HIV-positive. The prevalence was higher in winter (February-March). CONCLUSIONS: According to these findings we conclude that Cryptosporidium should be systematically searched by clinical laboratories, specially in children and in immunocompromised patients suffering from infectious diarrhoea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Current status of injectable hormonal contraception, with special reference to the monthly method.

Injectable contraceptives are a valid option in every family planning program. Contraceptives which are administered every 2 or 3 months, containing only progestogen agents (DepoProvera, Noristerat) have proven efficacious and do not show long-term safety problems. They differ from other contraceptives in their long lasting action and by not presenting the contraindications of the estrogens. Their most prominent side-effect is the irregularity of cyclic bleeding. Although bleeding irregularities are not life threatening, many users stop the treatment for that reason. Monthly contraceptives comprising progestogens and estrogens, maintain or improve the high efficacy of the earlier forms and have the added benefit of allowing bleeding to resemble the physiologic one. This increases acceptability and the continuation rate. There is no long-term inconvenience. At this point, the greatest experience is with the formulation known as Topasel or Perlutal. Other formulations (Cyclofem, Mesigyna) are beginning to be commercialized and their characteristics must still be confirmed through daily use. Indications, contraindications, precautions and warnings for the use of monthly injectable contraceptives are basically identical to those of the combined oral contraceptives, as are the side-effects. Efficacy, though, proves to be superior, which can be correlated to a simpler method of use and less risk of error when using it. Main motivation factors are: efficacy, simplicity in usage, reversibility and confidentiality.

Contraceptive Agents, Female↗
PubMed1997

[Dermatophytes isolated in our clinics. 5-year-study in Zaragoza].

BACKGROUND: This review summarizes the different species of dermatophytes isolates in our laboratory between 1991 and 1995. We describe the clinical forms and establish the distribution over this period of time. METHODS: Retrospective survey of samples from outpatients of the Dermatology Service in Miguel Servet Hospital where mycologic cultures are required. The extraction of samples is made by scrapes with a carpet or scalpel and they are cultured on Saboureaud agar with chloramphenicol and dermatophytes agar for 3 weeks. All plates were incubated at 28 degrees C. The identification of isolated strains is made by means of morphologic and physiologic criteria; the doubtful strains were identified in national referral center of Majadahonda CNMVISS. RESULTS: 4004 samples were analyzed from 3934 patients and 543 strains of dermatophytes were isolated. The frequencies were as follow: Microsporum canis (44%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (31.4%), Trichophyton rubrum (18.6%), Epidermophyton floccosum (2.6%), Microsporum gypseum (1.4%), Trichophyton tonsurans (0.7%), Trichophyton verrucosum (0.7%), Trichophyton violaceum (0.2%) y Microsporum audouinii (0.2%). The most frequently observed dermatophytoses were Tinea corporis (54.8%), followed by Tinea unguium (12.6%), Tinea capitis (12.5%), Tinea pedis (8.3%), Tinea manuum (6.3%), Tinea cruris (4.7%) and Tinea barbae (0.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The zoophylic species are the most prevalent in our area and we have observed a raise of Microsporum canis in recent years. It is important to perform mycologic survey in every suspected lesion in older to determinate the true incidence of human dermatophytoses.

Arthrodermataceae↗
PubMed1996

Effects of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist RO19-4603 alone and in combination with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonists flumazenil, ZK 93426 and CGS 8216, on ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring (P) rats.

The present study investigated dose dependence and time course effects of the benzodiazepine (BDZ) partial inverse agonist, RO19-4603 (0.005-0.30 mg/kg) alone, and in combination with the BDZ receptor antagonists flumazenil, ZK 93426, and CGS 8216 (20 mg/kg) in selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) rats provided a two-bottle choice test between ethanol (EtOH) (10% v/v), and a palatable saccharin (0.0125% g/v) solution. A single dose of RO19-4603 as low as 0.009 mg/kg selectively reduced EtOH drinking during the initial 15 min of a 4 h access to 19-0% of control levels on day 1. The 0.08, 0.15 and 0.30 mg/kg doses of RO19-4603 significantly reduced total EtOH intake in the 4 h access period to 57-45% of controls on day 1. On day 2, no RO19-4603 injections were given; however, six of the seven doses of RO19-4603 (0.009, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.15, and 0.30 mg/kg) continued to reduce EtOH intake to 42-3% of control levels at the initial 15 min interval, while the 0.005, 0.009, 0.08, and 0.30 mg/kg doses reduced total 4 h EtOH intake to 60-42% of controls. Saccharin intake was either not altered by RO19-4603 or showed increases during the initial 15 min intervals and the total 4 h sessions on days 1 and 2. Food intake was also unaffected by RO19-4603. The CGS 8216, but neither flumazenil nor ZK 93426, reliably reversed the RO19-4603-induced suppression of EtOH intake on days 1 and 2. That certain BDZ inverse agonists can attenuate motivated behavior for EtOH reinforcement over a prolonged time course may provide a possible therapeutic approach to reducing EtOH consumption associated with alcoholism.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1996

Molecular analysis in true hermaphrodites with different karyotypes and similar phenotypes.

True hermaphroditism is characterized by the development of ovarian and testicular tissue in the same individual. Müllerian and Wolffian structures are usually present, and external genitalia are often ambiguous. The most frequent karyotype in these patients is 46,XX or various forms of mosaicism, whereas 46,XX is very rarely found. The phenotype in all these subjects is similar. We studied 10 true hermaphrodites. Six of them had a 46,XX chromosomal complement: 3 had been reared as males and 3 as females. The other 4 patients were mosaics: 3 were 46,XX/46,XY and one had a 46,XX/47,XXY karyotype. One of the 46,XX/46,XY mosaics was reared as a female, whereas the other 3 mosaics were reared as males. The sex of assignment in the 10 patients depended only on labio-scrotal differentiation. Molecular studies in 46,XX subjects documented the absence of Y centromeric sequences in all cases, arguing against hidden mosaicism. One patient presented Yp sequences (ZFY+, SRY+), which contrast with South African black 46,XX true hermaphrodites in whom no Y sequences were found. Molecular analysis in the subjects with mosaicism demonstrated the presence of Y centromeric and Yp sequences confirming the presence of a Y chromosome. Gonadal development, endocrine function, and phenotype in the 10 patients did not correlate with the presence of a Y chromosome or Y-derived sequences in the genome, confirming that true hermaphroditism is a heterogeneous condition.

Adolescent↗