PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Garcés

Publications and source records attributed to M Garcés.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Explaining the end of the hominoid experiment in Europe.

The Vallesian Crisis involved the extinction of most of the hominoids that settled successfully in Europe during the middle and early Late Miocene, including Dryopithecus, Ankarapithecus and Graecopithecus. This event has been dated at 9.6 Ma, predating by more than one million years the spread of the C4 grasses and the retreat of forests over large parts of the globe at 7-8 Ma. The finding of macrofloral remains in the Terrassa section (Vallès-Penedès Basin) sheds new light on the nature of vegetational change associated with the hominoid extinction. This section presents an abundant late Vallesian vertebrate fauna and has been accurately dated at 9.2 - 9 Ma by paleomagnetism. Therefore, it provides the best indication of the kind of vegetation that occupied the area after the Vallesian Crisis. It is suggested that the extinction of the late Miocene Western European hominoids was not related to the spread of grasses, but to a significant increase of a floral association dominated by deciduous trees.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Freezing protects against allergy to Anisakis simplex.

BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to Anisakis simplex have been described following ingestion of fish and were thought to be possible even if seafood is frozen or well-cooked. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to confirm, by challenge test, that dead A. simplex larvae are not able to trigger allergic reactions in patients with proven hypersensitivity to this parasite. METHODS: Simple-blind, placebo-controlled, oral challenge tests with frozen A. simplex larvae were performed in 12 patients who had suffered severe anaphylactic reactions after ingestion of seafood and diagnosed of A. simplex hypersensitivity by skin prick test and specific IgE. If no reaction appeared, they were told to eat frozen seafood. 63 patients who had suffered urticaria or urticaria/angioedema by demonstratred hypersensitivity to A. simplex were also advised to eat frozen seafood. All of them were reevaluated 6 months later. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the dead larvae challenge test. After eating previously frozen seafood at least two times per week, all patients, including those who had suffered anaphylactic reactions and those who had only presented cutaneous manifestations, remained asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Anisakis simplex-allergic patients tolerate ingestion of dead larvae. It is probable that these patients can eat frozen fish and that a seafood-free diet is not necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Detection of recurrent malignant melanoma with 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy.

Initial reports suggest that 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scanning may be of clinical value in staging patients with malignant melanoma. We carried out a study to evaluate the potential of this technique in the detection of recurrent disease. Whole-body 99mTC-MIBI scans were performed in 81 patients with a history of a surgically excised MM: 28 with known recurrent lesions and 53 during follow-up without evidence of disease. Images started 10 min post-injection, using a dose of 740 MBq. Diagnoses were confirmed by cytological/histological examination or at least one conventional imaging modality. Blinded interpretations of the MIBI scans were performed. Whole-body MIBI scanning correctly detected 68 (92%) of 74 metastatic lesions in the following sites: regional lymph nodes (n=23), non-regional lymph nodes (n=10), skin (n=16), brain/cerebellum (n=6), lung (n=8), bone (n=4) and breast (n=1). The technique failed to detect three subcutaneous regressive lesions (< 1 cm), one liver metastasis, one spleen metastasis and a case of multiple small lesions of the duodenal mucous membrane. In 14 patients the procedure detected previously unknown metastatic lesions. These results suggest that 99mTc-MIBI scanning is an effective imaging modality for whole-body screening of metastatic disease in malignant melanoma patients with the potential to influence treatment planning.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Descriptive study of a serie of patients affected by progressive supranuclear palsy].

INTRODUCTION: Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting diverse neurologic systems. The actual treatment response is poor in most patients. OBJECTIVE: review of a long series of patients affected by PSP in several aspects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A series of patients was reviewed by means of the register questionnaire of PSP in Spain (from PSP Disabling Rating Scale and Staging System). This is carried out on the patients when the diagnostic is done. It was achieved a descriptive of the patients, in several aspects, and an evaluation of the treatment in relation to the dose and the duration. RESULTS: In general, the age of diagnostic is 66 years, there is not neurological illness in the family, falls and disorders of gait are the most representative parameters. The neuroimage shows fronto temporal atrophy. The treatment response is poor, despite the dose and the duration. CONCLUSIONS: Our series confirms the typical dates of the illness an the poor response to treatment with L Dopa.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

["Household items" : an alternative task to "animals" in the assessment of semantic verbal fluency: a validation study].

INTRODUCTION: The semantic verbal fluency (SVF) is usually evaluated with the task animals in 1 minute . This is a test widely applied in the screening of cognitive impairment. In our best knowledge there are not other alternatives categories for this task validated in our environment (Spanish as mother tongue, Spain). OBJECTIVE: To validate the category households items as an alternative parallel task to animals in the assessment of SVF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective assessment of two categories (animals and household items) in two groups: normal controls and patients with Alzheimer s disease (AD). RESULTS CONTROL GROUP: n= 22 (13 M, 9 W); age: 73 5 years, education: 12 5 years; MMSE MEC 35: 30 4; Animals : 15 4. Percentile distribution 10th: 11; 50th: 15; 90th: 20; household items : 17 4. Percentile distribution: 10th: 12; 50th: 17; 90th: 22. AD group: n= 24 (9 M, 15 W); age: 74 5 years; education: 11 5 years; MMSE MEC 35: 17 8; Animals : 6 3. Percentile distribution: 10th: 2; 50th: 6; 90th: 9; household items : 6 4. Percentile distribution: 10th: 1; 50th: 6; 90th: 11. It is observed a positive correlation between the two categories (Spearman s Rho: 0.83, p< 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Both SVF categories had a similar distribution and a high correlation. This findings demonstrated the validity of the household items as an alternative and parallel form to animals in the assessment of SVF in patients with cognitive impairment or dementia.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Descriptive study of behavioural disorders in mild cognitive impairment].

INTRODUCTION: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as an abnormality in cognitive function not provoking a noticeable disability in activities of daily living in the affected person. In a group of patients with MCI, we propose to observe and to quantify the presence of behavioral disorders, using the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: NPI is a known instrument in evaluation of this kind of disorders in patients with dementia, and it is a semi structured interview with a relevant informer or relative to the patient. NPI was applied to a series of 100 cases (61 women and 39 men) of MCI, diagnosed as usual in our settings. Mean age was 74.3 +/- 10 years, and mean MEC (Spanish modified version of MMSE) 25.57 +/- 4.2 (over a maximum of 35 points). RESULTS: Most prevalent disorder was depression, in 36 % of cases, and other frequent findings were irritability (35%), anxiety (24%) and apathy (19%). In some cases, agitation (4%), abnormal motor behavior (3%) and delusions (1%) were detected. Hallucination, disinhibition and euphoria or elation were not detected in this series. CONCLUSION: Data show a certain similarity with occidental culture environment, globally considered. The presence of behavioral and psychological disorders in patients with MCI could be a marker for later development of dementia. NPI can be a usable tool when detection and evaluation of these symptoms is required.

Aged↗