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Biomedical subjects

M Georgiou

Publications and source records attributed to M Georgiou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Preincisional intravenous low-dose ketamine and local infiltration with ropivacaine reduces postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The preincisional use of ketamine combined with local tissue infiltration with Ropivacaine may reduce noxious input during surgery. The goal of this study was to examine whether this combination improves postoperative pain control after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: A total of 55 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 received placebos preincisional. Group 2 received preincisional saline IV and local infiltration with 20 ml ropivacaine (10 mg/ml). Group 3 received preincisional ketamine 1 mg/kg IV and local infiltration with 20 ml ropivacaine (10 mg/ml). Postoperative pain was rated at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively by visual analogue scale scores (VAS). Cumulative analgesic consumption and time until first analgesic medication request were recorded. RESULTS: Group 3 experienced significantly (p < 0.05) less pain than group 2 at 6 h and 12 h postoperatively. Groups 2 and 3 did not differ significantly by VAS at 0 h, 3 h, 24 h, and 48 h. Group 1 had significantly higher VAS scores than groups 2 and 3 at 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h postoperatively. The consumption of analgesics was significantly higher in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3. Although the consumption of analgesics was higher in group 3 than in group 2, this difference did not reach statistical significance. The time to first request for analgesics was significantly longer in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1, with no statistical difference between groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: Preincisional treatment with low-dose IV ketamine and local infiltration with ropivacaine 1% reduces postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The Drosophila neuregulin vein maintains glial survival during axon guidance in the CNS.

Neuron-glia interactions are necessary for the formation of the longitudinal axon trajectories in the Drosophila central nervous system. Longitudinal glial cells are required for axon guidance and fasciculation, and pioneer neurons for trophic support of the glia. Neuregulin is a neuronal molecule that controls glial survival in the vertebrate nervous system. The Drosophila protein Vein has structural similarities with Neuregulin. We show here that Vein functions like a Neuregulin to maintain glial cell survival. We present direct in vivo evidence at single-cell resolution that Vein is produced by pioneer neurons and maintains the survival of neighboring longitudinal glia. This mechanism links axon guidance to control of glial cell number and may contribute to plasticity during the establishment of normal axonal trajectories.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Identification of an alleged offender of murder by VNTR analysis: case report.

DNA typing was used to demonstrate that three human body pieces found disposed of in the countryside around Athens and the suspicions about the perpetrator's identity were connected. Reverse paternity testing was attempted by comparative typing of three variable number tandem repeats loci in the remains, as well as in the presumptive parents and sister of the decedent, demonstrating Mendelian inheritance of the alleles of the loci analyzed. Confronting the results of the abovementioned analysis, the suspect accepted the accusation.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Diuretic MAG3 scintigraphy (F0) in acute pyelonephritis: regional parenchymal dysfunction and comparison with DMSA.

UNLABELLED: 99mTc-DMSA late static planar imaging or SPECT is being used for the investigation of focal acute pyelonephritis (APN), especially in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). Diuretic 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) dynamic scintirenography has been applied in the evaluation of kidney function and structure, frequently to exclude obstruction. However, in children and adults with a clinical picture of APN, diuretic MAG3 scintigraphy with zero time injection of furosemide (MAG3-F0) was observed to display focal parenchymal abnormalities; regional dysfunction (focal parenchymal decrease in early uptake; slow filling in and prolonged late retention of activity); or, less frequently, fixed defects. This observation was further studied both retrospectively and prospectively, and its sensitivity and specificity for APN were compared with those of dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). METHODS: In the retrospective study, for 36 children with UTI and regional parenchymal findings on MAG3-F(0), data were reviewed, analyzed, and compared with the results of concurrent DMSA studies. In the prospective study, for 57 children with clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of APN, the 2 radiopharmaceuticals were used for imaging sequentially and the results of the 2 studies were compared. The criteria for abnormal findings compatible with the diagnosis of APN were, for MAG3-F(0), regional parenchymal dysfunction and fixed focal defects and, for DMSA, focal defects without parenchymal loss. RESULTS: In all groups of patients, most abnormal MAG3-F(0) studies (80%) showed regional parenchymal dysfunction, but in some (20%) a fixed defect was found. Compared with DMSA and when both regional dysfunction and focal defects were considered, MAG3-F(0) was as sensitive as DMSA. Some patients had only MAG3-F(0) abnormalities, suggesting a slightly lower specificity for MAG3-F(0) compared with DMSA (86%); this finding needs further study, because it also raises questions about the sensitivity of DMSA, considering that only a small percentage of patients with clinically suggestive findings had abnormal study findings. In most patients with fixed defects on both DMSA and MAG3-F(0), follow-up studies showed no resolution, suggesting that a fixed defect on MAG3-F(0) may indicate either more severe APN or preexistent scars and that regional dysfunction may be a sign more specific for APN and prognostic of potential recovery. In addition, a pattern more specific for a scar--a fixed defect with a dilated regional calyx--was seen on follow-up MAG3-F(0). CONCLUSION: A fast (25-min) planar dynamic MAG3-F(0) study was found to be as sensitive at depicting focal parenchymal abnormalities in APN as was the 3- to 4-h DMSA routine procedure. The sensitivity and specificity of both studies need further evaluation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Fluoroquinolone resistance mutations in the parC, parE, and gyrA genes of clinical isolates of viridans group streptococci.

The nucleotide sequences of the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of the parC and gyrA genes from seven ciprofloxacin-resistant (Cpr) isolates of viridans group streptococci (two high-level Cpr Streptococcus oralis and five low-level Cpr Streptococcus mitis isolates) were determined and compared with those obtained from susceptible isolates. The nucleotide sequences of the QRDRs of the parE and gyrB genes from the five low-level Cpr S. mitis isolates and from the NCTC 12261 type strain were also analyzed. Four of these low-level Cpr isolates had changes affecting the subunits of DNA topoisomerase IV: three in Ser-79 (to Phe or Ile) of ParC and one in ParE at a position not previously described to be involved in quinolone resistance (Pro-424). One isolate did not show any mutation. The two high-level Cpr S. oralis isolates showed mutations affecting equivalent residue positions of ParC and GyrA, namely, Ser-79 to Phe and Ser-81 to Phe or Tyr, respectively. The parC mutations were able to transform Streptococcus pneumoniae to ciprofloxacin resistance, while the gyrA mutations transformed S. pneumoniae only when mutations in parC were present. These results suggest that DNA topoisomerase IV is a primary target of ciprofloxacin in viridans group streptococci, DNA gyrase being a secondary target.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Breast cyst simulating metastases on iodine-131 imaging in thyroid carcinoma.

False-positive radioiodine uptake has been reported in many organ systems. We describe a female patient who had mixed papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma, and on radioiodine total-body imaging demonstrated focal, lower-right chest uptake. Special prone imaging with the right breast dependent proved that the uptake was inside the right breast. Review of a recent breast ultrasound and mammograms showed this uptake to correspond to a large breast cyst. It is known that 131I breast uptake may be functional within the mammary gland. In this patient, it was due to retention within the cyst after the background activity decreased. Knowledge of this phenomenon may improve the interpretation of total-body 131INa studies.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

Primary central nervous system lymphoma in patients with AIDS.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), once considered a rare brain neoplasm, has been steadily increasing in incidence mainly due to an enlarging population of immunosuppressed patients. PCNSL has become the second most common brain space occupying lesion in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A rapid diagnosis of this entity may represent weeks to months of survival to immunosuppressed HIV-positive patients. The radiologist now plays an important role in the noninvasive diagnosis and management of this condition through the accurate interpretation of imaging findings provided by CT, MR, and brain SPECT studies. This article focuses on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, neuropathology, and imaging characteristics of this brain neoplasm. New accurate imaging algorithms combining the diagnostic information provided by CT, MR, and T1-201 brain SPECT are discussed.

Brain↗
PubMed1997

Acute poisoning due to alkalis used during industrial cleaning of soft drinks' glass containers: a case report.

Corrosive alkalis are used in the soft drink and beer industries for the cleaning of the non-disposable glass containers using several different methods. It is well understood that complete cleaning of these vessels by multiple and well-organized rinsing is an absolute necessity. In cases of disturbance of this process, some residuals of alkaline agents may be retained in the glass containers, causing severe health risks to consumers. This case of acute poisoning due to caustic alkalis concerns a young woman who consumed carbonated lemonade from a non-disposable glass container. Clinical signs and symptoms and the treatment of the affected woman are described. Toxicological analysis of the soft drink consumed led to the detection, identification and quantitative determination of the presence of the alkalis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Nuclear medicine applications to the neuroimaging of AIDS. A neuroradiologist's perspective.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) responsible for AIDS is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and Europe. As new therapeutic modalities against HIV are uncovered and applied to treat prophylactically asymptomatic and therapeutically symptomatic HIV positive patients, imaging studies are no longer used just to characterize the organic-morphologic effects of HIV and opportunistic infections and neoplasms. This article discusses the current applications and contribution of nuclear medicine to the management of neurologically symptomatic HIV-positive patients.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1996

Long-term persistence of ciprofloxacin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Ciprofloxacin has been a major advance in the treatment of chronic respiratory infections. Three patients with cystic fibrosis and colonized by 5 nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae strains exhibiting low- (MIC, 2 microg/mL) and high-level ciprofloxacin resistance (MICs, 16-32 microg/mL) are described. The patients had received several courses of ciprofloxacin. These MICs represent a decrease in ciprofloxacin susceptibility of 200-3200 times. Molecular epidemiologic methods demonstrated that 2 patients were chronically colonized by their own ciprofloxacin-resistant strains for > or = 15-17 months. Three strains showed simultaneous resistance to ampicillin and chloramphenicol by enzyme inactivation, and 2 had ampicillin resistance without beta-lactamase activity. These data suggest that the emergence and long-term persistence of ciprofloxacin-resistant H. influenzae in patients with cystic fibrosis can be a consequence of antibiotic treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Ciprofloxacin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae strains possess mutations in analogous positions of GyrA and ParC.

The nucleotide sequences of the quinolone resistance-determining regions of the gyrA and parC genes from five ciprofloxacin-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae (MICs, 2 to 32 micrograms/ml) isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis and three ciprofloxacin-susceptible strains of H. influenzae (MICs, < or = 0.1 micrograms/ml) were determined. Four of the five resistant strains possessed at least one amino acid substitution in each of the GyrA and ParC fragments studied. The mutations identified in GyrA were a serine at residue 84 (Ser-84) to Leu or Tyr and Asp-88 to Asn or Tyr. ParC mutations were in positions exactly analogous to those identified in GyrA, namely, Ser-84 to Ile and Glu-88 to Lys. The Glu-88 to Lys ParC substitution was identified only in high-level ciprofloxacin-resistant strains. These mutations have been shown to be the origin of the observed resistance after transformation into ciprofloxacin-susceptible H. influenzae isolates. These results suggest that H. influenzae isolates require at least one amino acid substitution in both GyrA and ParC in order to attain significant levels of resistance to quinolones.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Efficient parathyroidectomy guided by SPECT-MIBI and hormonal measurements.

UNLABELLED: Parathyroidectomy is a difficult and lengthy operation which is noncurative in 6% to 10% of cases. To improve the efficiency of this operation, a new dual diagnostic approach was prospectively applied. METHODS: Preoperative tomographic 99mTc-sestamibi (MIBI) scintography and intraoperative measurements of circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels by a quick assay (QPTH) were used. Scintigraphy comprised immediate and delayed planar and SPECT of the neck and chest, following 20 mCi MIBI. The presence and location of persistent foci of abnormal activity found within the neck mediastinum on volume-rendered reprojection (RPJ) of the SPECT data were reported. The surgion, guided by the three-dimensional MIBI-SPECT/RPJ images, identified and excised the single or most prominent scintigraphic focus and applied the QPTH. If PTH levels fell from baseline by at least 50%, the operation was concluded. RESULTS: The operative time of primary parathyroidectomy was reduced from an average of 90 min (before the introduction of scintigraphy and intraoperative PTH measurements) to 57 min. All but two patients became normocalcemic. In 58 consecutive patients with hyperparathyroidism, MIBI-SPECT/RPJ correctly and precisely identified 51 of 53 (96%) primary parathyroid adenomas, 14 to 15 secondary hyperplasias and 2 of 3 hyperplastic glands in MEN (sensitivity 94%, specificity 92%). QPTH verified the excision of the primary parathyroid adenomas and predicted normocalcemia in 50 of 52 patients. In 6 patients with misleading scintigraphy, QPTH was especially useful and guided the surgeon to continue the operation until the abnormal parathyroid tissue was found and excised. CONCLUSION: MIBI-SPEC/RPJ and QPTH sequentially applied improved the efficiency of parathyroidectomy.

Adenoma↗