PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Lago

Publications and source records attributed to M Lago.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Free energy balance for three fluid phases in a capillary of arbitrarily shaped cross-section: capillary entry pressures and layers of the intermediate-wetting phase.

In this work we derive rigorously the free energy balance for three fluid phases in a straight capillary of arbitrarily shaped cross-section. This balance is then used to derive the general equation for the capillary entry pressures of all possible two-phase and three-phase displacements. Moreover, the equation provides the criterion determining the existence of layers of the intermediate-wetting phase separating the wetting and non-wetting phases in the corners or cavities of a capillary, by also treating the spreading of such layers as a capillary displacement. For a number of combinations of interfacial tensions and contact angles, illustrating all the different relevant situations, we calculate the criteria for spreading of such a layer in the corner of a capillary with polygonal cross-section. In a capillary with a cross-section in the shape of an isosceles triangle of varying corner size, these criteria are used to determine the unique capillary entry pressures for piston-like displacement from alternative solutions of the general equation. These solutions relate to displacements in the presence or absence of layers in the various differently sized corners.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Abnormal depolarizing patterns in three patients with filarial infection.

Several authors have described a particular potential of automated depolarization analysis in detecting malaria infection as part of the routine full blood count (FBC) performed by the Cell-Dyn 4000 analyzer. In these cases, abnormal depolarizing patterns are due to the presence of leukocyte-associated malaria hemozoin, a pigment which depolarizes the laser light. In this report we describe samples from three individual patients who did not have malaria infection but showed abnormal depolarizing events. Further investigation determined that these samples were from patients infected by the nematode Mansonella perstans. The observed depolarizing pattern consisted of a normal depolarizing eosinophil population and in addition an abnormal depolarizing population that showed a close "linear" relationship between "granularity" (90 degrees depolarization) and "lobularity" (90 degrees polarization). This atypical population was smaller than normal leukocytes and thus clearly different from the patterns associated with malaria infection. Abnormal depolarization patterns of M. perstans clearly do not reflect leukocyte-associated malaria hemozoin. It is possible however that the erythrocyte-lysing agent used to facilitate leukocyte analysis by the instrument may have caused microfilaria fragmentation and thus the distinctive "straight-line" features of the abnormal scatter plots

Blood Cell Count↗
PubMed2002

Eikenella corrodens brain abscess after repeated periodontal manipulations cured with imipenem and neurosurgery.

Eikenella corrodens is a facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rod that colonizes the oral cavity and very rarely produces central nervous system (CNS) infections. Frontal lobe abscesses are occasionally associated with a dental source of infection. We report a case of an adult man with overzealous dental cleaning habits who developed a right frontal brain abscess caused by E. corrodens. He underwent neurosurgical drainage of the pus and was successfully treated with imipenem 4 g/i.v./day for 4 weeks with no complications. Repeated periodontal trauma could explain the Eikenella brain abscess in this case.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2000

Low urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin levels in patients with coronary artery disease.

A decrease in nocturnal serum melatonin levels was reported in patients with clinically uncharacterized coronary artery disease. To assess whether there was a correlation between melatonin production and disease stage, we measured the nocturnal urinary excretion of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (an index of blood melatonin concentration) in patients with chronic stable or unstable coronary disease and in a group of age-matched controls. Three groups of individuals were studied: a) 24 healthy subjects (mean age: 63 +/- 13 yr); b) 32 patients with chronic, stable, coronary disease (62 +/- 11 yr); and c) 27 patients with unstable angina (62 +/- 12 yr). For 6-sulphatoxymelatonin measurement, urine was collected from 18:00 to 06:00 hr, within 48 hr of hospitalization in the case of unstable angina. 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin was measured by a specific radioimmunoassay. Urinary 6-sulphatoxymelatonin excretion was significantly lower in unstable angina patients than in healthy subjects or in patients with stable angina. 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin correlated negatively with age in healthy subjects, but not in coronary patients. 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin excretion in patients treated with beta-adrenoceptor blockers did not differ significantly from coronary patients not receiving beta-blockers. The results indicate that patients with coronary disease have a low melatonin production rate, with greater decreases in those with higher risk of cardiac infarction and/or death.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The use of PCR in the diagnosis of hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly (HMS).

Between August 1997 and September 1998, 14 cases of hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly (HMS) were diagnosed in the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Madrid, Spain. These cases, from Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, were identified using the diagnostic criteria established by Y. M. Fakunle in 1981: gross splenomegaly; high levels of anti-malarial antibodies; IgM in serum at least two standard deviations above the local mean; and clinical and immunological response to antimalarial treatment. Although malarial parasites were only detected in the Giemsa-stained blood films of four of the cases, these four and four others were found to have the DNA of such parasites in their blood when tested using a method based on a semi-nested, multiplex PCR. These result indicate that malarial parasitaemias may be more prevalent in HMS than is usually recognized.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Three cases of imported dermatomycosis by Scytalidium dimidiatum].

Scytalidium dimidiatum dermatomycosis are usually reported in tropical and subtropical countries. Some cases in Spain have been diagnosed due to the increasing number of immigrants from these areas. We herein describe three new cases of S. dimidiatum infections detected in Madrid. Two patients were from Guinea Ecuatorial and the third from Angola. We also report the first case of S. dimidiatum infection in a HIV patient in Spain. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of S. dimidiatum infections reported in Spain are discussed.

English Abstract↗
PubMed1997

CT-guided core-needle biopsy in omental pathology.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy and clinical usefulness of CT-guided core-needle biopsy in the diagnosis of omental pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the results of CT-guided percutaneous core biopsies in 25 patients with focal (n = 2) or diffuse (n = 23) omental pathology. These results were compared to the final diagnoses as determined by laparotomy (n = 15), laparoscopic biopsy (n = 3), endoscopic biopsy (n = 1), or by the results of percutaneous biopsy and clinical-radiological and bacteriological modalities (n = 6). The final diagnoses showed 4 patients with isolated omental pathology and 21 with widespread peritoneal involvement. The CT-guided biopsies were performed with 1.0-1.8-mm Surecut core-needles. RESULTS: In 16 patients, the final diagnosis was metastatic adenocarcinoma--with the primary tumor sites in the ovary (n = 3), stomach (n = 1), appendix (n = 2), and unknown (n = 10). In the remaining 9 patients, the final diagnosis was hepatocellular carcinoma, lymphoma, and mesothelioma in 1 patient each; tuberculosis in 5; and actinomycosis in 1. Sufficient histological (n = 16) or cytological (n = 8) material was obtained by CT biopsy in 24/25 (96%) cases; the specimen was insufficient for diagnosis in 1 case. In differentiating benign from malignant disease, CT-guided biopsy showed a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of respectively 89.5%, 100% and 92%. It gave a specific diagnosis in 78.9% (15/19) of patients with malignant conditions and in 50% (3/6) of patients with benign disorders. There were no biopsy-related complications. CONCLUSION: CT-guided percutaneous core-needle biopsy of the omentum is a safe, useful and highly accurate procedure for diagnosing malignant omental pathology.

Actinomycosis↗
PubMed1997

Cost of medication therapy in ambulatory HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use and cost associated with prescribed medications as well as the use of over-the-counter medications and nontraditional therapies among ambulatory HIV-infected patients at Ryan White Title IIIb grantee centers. METHODS: Study participants (n = 223) were enrolled from eight centers across the US and Puerto Rico. Data were collected by a nurse, pharmacist, or physician through review of medical records and medication profiles. Information on the use of over-the-counter drugs and alternative therapies was obtained from the patients. RESULTS: Two hundred eleven (94.6%) patients received a mean +/- SD of 5.3 +/- 3.8 prescription medications during a consecutive 90-day period. The cost of medication was $1237.62 +/- $1751.49 per patient. Patients with a diagnosis of AIDS received a greater number of prescription drugs: an average of 6.6 compared with 3.4 among HIV-positive patients and 3.5 among asymptomatic patients. Antiretroviral agents were used by 143 (68.7%) patients. Zidovudine and stavudine had the highest cost ($611.81 +/- $254.10 and $596.96 +/- $352.80, respectively). Eighty-one (40.9%) patients reported the use of at least one over-the-counter product (range 0-11) and 11.8% reported use of alternative therapies. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the cost of drug treatment for HIV-infected patients has remained stable since the early 1990s. However, it is anticipated this will change due to the introduction of new anti-HIV agents, greater use of combination therapies, greater use of prophylactic therapies, and increased survival times.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1995

[Hemolysis associated with intrahepatic percutaneous portosystemic shunt].

Two cases of intravascular hemolysis in patients with intrahepatic percutaneous portosystemic shunt are described. This is a recently reported complication, the incidence of which currently remains unknown. Following analysis of different possible mechanisms, it is suggested that a relationship may exist between the hemolysis and the number of the inserted prosthesis and length of the intraportal segment of the stent.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗