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Biomedical subjects

M C Perez

Publications and source records attributed to M C Perez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Effect of sequential intermittent pneumatic compression on both leg lymphedema volume and on lymph transport as semi-quantitatively evaluated by lymphoscintigraphy.

Sequential Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (SIPC) is an accepted method for treatment of peripheral lymphedema. This prospective study evaluated the effect in 11 patients of a single session of SIPC on both lymphedema volume of the leg and isotope lymphography (99Tc dextran) before SIPC (control) and 48 hours later after a 3 hour session of SIPC. Qualitative analysis of the 2 lymphoscintigrams (LS) was done by image interpretation by 3 physicians on a blind study protocol. The LS protocol attributed an index score based on the following variables: appearance, density and number of lymphatics, dermal backflow and collateral lymphatics in leg and thigh, visualization and intensity of popliteal and inguinal lymph nodes. Volume of the leg edema was evaluated by measuring limb circumference before and after SIPC at 6 designated sites. Whereas there was a significant reduction of circumference in the leg after SIPC (p<0.05), there was no significant difference in the index scores of the LS before and after treatment. This acute or single session SIPC suggests that compression increased transport of lymph fluid (i.e., water) without comparable transport of macromolecules (i.e., protein). Alternatively, SIPC reduced lymphedema by decreasing blood capillary filtration (lymph formation) rather than by accelerating lymph return thereby restoring the balance in lymph kinetics responsible for edema in the first place.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Chemotaxis of macrophages by a peritoneal fluid protein in women with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To expand on a preliminary study comparing the chemotactic potential of peritoneal fluid (PF) from women with and without endometriosis and to characterize this activity via immunosuppressants and a protease. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: University center. PATIENT(S): Fifty-nine women with endometriosis and 44 without, undergoing laparoscopy. INTERVENTION(S): Collection of PF, endometriotic, ovarian, and endometrial biopsies at laparoscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Chemotactic activity of PF was tested via an in vitro assay alone and in the presence of immunosuppressants cyclosporin A (CSA), FK506, rapamycin, and type XVII-b(S-V8) protease and in media incubated with endometriotic, ovarian, or endometrial biopsy specimens. RESULT(S): The PF from women with endometriosis had significantly greater chemotactic activity (cells per well, mean +/- SD) than without endometriosis (142 +/- 39 versus 48 +/- 17). Cyclosporin A significantly inhibited the chemotactic activity of the endometriotic PF; FK506 and rapamycin did not. Incubation of media with endometriotic tissue, but not ovarian or endometrial, for > or = 7 hours displayed chemotactic activity. Protease type XVII-b(S-V8) added to endometriotic PF inhibited this chemotactic activity. CONCLUSION(S): Peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis contains a protein chemotactic factor attracting inflammatory cells into the peritoneal cavity, possibly secreted by endometriotic implants. This chemotactic factor may be a member of the immunophilin family because of its inhibition profile.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed1996

Role of eosinophils in uterine responses to estrogen.

Administration of estradiol (E2) to ovariectomized mice results in a dramatic increase in uterine growth and an influx of eosinophilic leukocytes. This influx is mediated by stimulation of an E2-dependent eosinophilic chemotactic factor in the uterus (ECF-U). The role of this eosinophil infiltration in uterus is presently unknown but could involve early growth and/or remodeling processes. In an attempt to better define eosinophil function in uterine tissue, we produced ovariectomized mice severely depleted of circulating eosinophils by administration of a purified rat IgG monoclonal antibody against interleukin-5 (IL-5). Seven days later, animals were submitted to estradiol treatment. Experimental groups included mice treated with saline alone, saline followed by E2, IgG followed by E2, and anti-IL-5 followed by E2. Pretreatment with IL-5 antibodies led to no significant alteration in E2-induced increase in uterine wet weight. However, histological evaluation demonstrated a clear and almost complete blockade of E2-stimulated influx of eosinophils in anti-IL-5 treated animals. In addition, IL-5 antibody administration significantly reduced E2-induced increase in peroxidase activity. Dramatic reduction of eosinophils did not affect E2 stimulation of ECF-U activity by stromal cells or complement C3 synthesis by the epithelial cells. Thus, it appears that differences in E2 responses in eosinophil-deficient mice are not directly associated with presence or absence of eosinophils. Taken together, these data suggest that eosinophils most likely do not contribute to early growth in the E2-stimulated uterus. A possible role in other events such as remodeling remains to be elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Conditioned control of ingestive behavior by acarbose-induced inhibition of sucrose ingestion in the rat.

It has been reported that the addition of Acarbose, a alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, to a carbohydrate solution blocks a preference that otherwise would be displayed for that solution. One interpretation of those results is that the alteration in preference was caused by the diminished postabsorptive nutritive value of the diet due to the inhibition of hydrolysis of the carbohydrates, and, thus, its absorption. An alternative explanation is that the reduction in the preference was a consequence of an accumulation of undigested carbohydrates in the lumen of the intestine. In the studies reported here, designed to investigate this alternative explanation, it was shown that Acarbose added to a flavored 0.3 M sucrose solution reduced the preference for that solution in a two-bottle preference test. An analysis of the licking behavior of rats ingesting flavored 0.3 M sucrose solutions with and without the addition of Acarbose revealed that the presence of Acarbose in the test solution caused a conditioned reduction in the rate of licking the test solution at the beginning of the meal and, as a result, a reduction in intake of the solution. This conditioned control of the rate of licking was rapidly acquired and was easily reversed. It was also shown that Acarbose increased fluid retention in the small intestine, suggesting that the conditioning may have been based on the accumulation of undigested disaccharides in the intestinal lumen rather than on the diminished postabsorptive nutritive value of the ingested sucrose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acarbose↗
PubMed1993

The acquired control of ingestive behavior in the rat by flavor-associated postingestional stimulation.

Recently reported sham feeding studies have revealed that the rate of ingestion of liquid diets early in the ingestion interval is under the associative control of postingestive events occurring in the stomach and intestine. This study investigated the possibility that gastrointestinal filling induced by adding the nonabsorbable sugar alcohol mannitol to a test solution could serve as an unconditioned stimulus to support the acquired control of the initial rate of ingestion of a liquid by rats. The results revealed that mannitol had a direct unconditioned effect on the rate of decline in the rate of ingestion during the meal and that the association of it with a distinctive flavor resulted in an acquired control of the initial rate of licking conditioned to the flavor. The conditioned effect was rapidly acquired and rapidly extinguished. Our results demonstrate the preabsorptive mechano- or chemostimulation of the gastrointestinal tract can serve as a UCS to support the conditioning of the rate of ingestion early in the meal.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Food deprivation- and palatability-induced microstructural changes in ingestive behavior.

The effects of 17 h food deprivation and stimulation by five concentrations (0.05-0.8 M) of sucrose solutions on the licking behavior of rats were investigated. Food deprivation increased the intake of the three lowest concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) but had no effect on the volume ingested of the two highest concentrations (0.4 and 0.8 M). Food deprivation had no significant effect on the duration of the meals of any of the sucrose solutions; rather it affected the rate of ingestion. In those cases where food deprivation did affect volume intake, it did so by increasing the initial rate of ingestion. Although food deprivation had no effect on the volume ingested of the two strongest concentrations of sucrose, it nevertheless affected the ingestive behavior by increasing the duration of the sustained periods of bursts of licking and decreasing their number. Deprivation also significantly decreased the rate of licking within these sustained bouts of licking. The results indicate that food deprivation can affect the ingestive behavior of rats in ways that are not revealed by measuring volumetric intake alone. The data also support the view that food deprivation increases the palatability of the test solutions.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Role of intrarenal angiotensin II in mediating renal response to volume expansion.

Natriuresis induced by extracellular volume expansion (ECVE) is accompanied by a decrease in renin release and by an increase of renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP). This study was undertaken to examine, in anesthetized dogs, the relative role of intrarenal angiotensin II (ANG II) changes in mediating natriuresis, diuresis, and increases in RIHP induced by two different levels of volume expansion (1.5 and 5% body wt in 45 min) with isotonic saline. Intrarenal ANG II levels were maintained in the right kidney throughout the experiment by simultaneously infusing captopril (0.8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) and ANG II (1 ng.kg-1.min-1) into the right renal artery. In response to 5% ECVE, increases in RIHP, natriuresis, and diuresis were inhibited in the right kidney by 55, 40, and 47% respectively, when compared with the left kidney. Significant increases occurred in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels during 5% ECVE. Maintenance of constant intrarenal ANG II levels during 1.5% ECVE completely abolished the increment of RIHP and diuresis and inhibited the natriuretic response by 80% in the right kidney when compared with the left kidney. Plasma ANP levels did not change during the 1.5% ECVE. No differences between kidneys were found when the intrarenal effects of ANG II were blocked with saralasin before saline loading. These results suggest that increases in RIHP, natriuresis, and diuresis during ECVE are partially mediated by decreases in intrarenal ANG II levels. Furthermore, these results indicate that the role of intrarenal ANG II levels in mediating the renal response to ECVE is more important when plasma ANP levels do not change than when they are increased.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1991

Anticardiolipin antibodies in unselected pregnant women. Relationship to fetal outcome.

Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA) have recently been associated with adverse fetal outcome. The prevalence of elevated ACLA has not been studied in unselected pregnant women, however. Twelve hundred unselected pregnant women were screened for IgG ACLA using an assay standardized by the first international workshop on ACLA. Fifteen (1.25%) were positive for IgG ACLA (greater than 3 SD above the mean) but only 0.5% had moderate to high levels of IgG ACLA (greater than 5 SD above the mean). Low levels of IgG ACLA were not associated with increased risk of fetal loss; however, 50% of women with moderate to high levels of antibody had fetal wastage. These findings further support the association of significantly elevated levels of IgG ACLA with fetal loss.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Cyclophosphamide use in a young woman with antiphospholipid antibodies and recurrent cerebrovascular accident.

We have described a 25-year-old woman with recurrent cerebral thrombosis associated with very high levels of antibodies against phospholipids. Antinuclear antibodies and clinical features of a defined connective tissue disease were absent. Treatment with plasmapheresis, prednisone, intravenous cyclophosphamide, and warfarin was accompanied by disappearance from the serum of the lupus anticoagulant and the biologic false-positive test for syphilis; IgG anticardiolipin antibodies persisted, however, and the patient had a second cerebral thrombosis. Clinical improvement ultimately occurred after the dosage of cyclophosphamide was optimized and the level of IgG anticardiolipin antibody decreased to a level lower than any that has been previously associated with thrombotic complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

C4 concentrations and C4 deficiency alleles in systemic lupus erythematosus.

In a study of 66 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 80 controls it was found that the presence of two deficiency (null) alleles of C4 had a significant effect on mean C4 concentrations in serum. In six controls who each had two C4 null alleles the mean C4 concentration in serum was 56% lower than in 43 controls without C4 null alleles; the nadir of the C4 concentration in four patients with SLE with two null alleles was also lower by a mean of 55% than in 32 patients who did not have null alleles. Reduced production of C4 allotypes in subjects with two null alleles may be an important determinant of total C4 concentration in patients with SLE. For optimal interpretation of C4 concentrations in SLE, C4 allotyping appears to be indicated, particularly to identify patients who have two null alleles of C4.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Partial C4A deficiency is associated with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in black Americans.

In a study of 59 black American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we found that partial C4A deficiency occurred twice as frequently as in 59 control subjects (32.3% versus 15.3%; P = 0.02). Complete C4A deficiency, however, occurred in only 1 patient and in no controls. Partial C4A deficiency is a risk factor for SLE in black, as well as in white, SLE populations studied to date. In contrast with white patients, complete C4A deficiency occurs relatively infrequently in black patients with SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Cardiolipin antibodies and null alleles of C4 in black Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Twelve of 44 black American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (27%) studied during periods of disease activity had increased levels of IgG antibodies against cardiolipin (IgG aCL). IgG aCL occurred almost exclusively in patients who had a partial genetic deficiency of C4A or C4B. Eleven of 29 patients (38%) with a C4A or C4B deficiency allele had IgG aCL, compared with 1/15 patients (7%) who did not have C4A or C4B deficiency allele (p = 0.04). During periods when SLE was less active clinically, IgG aCL levels returned to normal in 10/12 patients. Active SLE, rather than null alleles, appeared to be associated with low C4 levels in patients with IgG aCL.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Complete C4B deficiency in black Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We report 3 black American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in whom C4B was completely deficient in plasma. They all exhibited antibody against the nucleoprotein antigen SSA (Ro), as well as cutaneous involvement, features that have been previously associated with complement deficiency states. IgG antibody against cardiolipin was also present in 2 patients, in association with a biologic false positive test for syphilis in one patient, and with thrombocytopenia in another. This is the first description of the clinical presentation of complete C4B deficiency in blacks with SLE.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Prevalence of islet cell antibodies, insulin antibodies and hyperglycaemia in 2291 schoolchildren.

Islet cell antibodies, insulin antibodies and hyperglycaemia were investigated in 2291 healthy schoolchildren. Eight of the subjects had islet cell antibodies and eight had insulin antibodies. However, no schoolchild who was positive for islet cell antibodies also had insulin antibodies present. Hyperglycaemia was observed in five children but neither islet cell antibodies nor insulin antibodies could be detected in the sera from these particular subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Neuropsychological profile of primary parkinsonism among Filipinos.

In summary then, the neuropsychological profile of Filipino parkinsonians reveals deficits in visuospatial processing, social judgment, attention and mental tracking, recent memory and word retrieval, aside from predicted difficulty in fine motor activities which would result in a deterioration of their penmanship. The frequency of dementia with this sample is comparable to that reported in other studies. Possibly due to the small sample size, no significant correlations were obtained between the severity of illness and dementia. Why two of the ten subjects seen for follow-up improved their scores on neuropsychological testing cannot be ascertained at this time. However, it underscores the importance of long-term monitoring to gain a better understanding of the relationship between Parkinson's disease and higher mental processes. We intend to continue conducting follow-up studies and hope that, with a larger sample, we can establish trends that will assist us in the holistic management of this condition.

Adult↗