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Biomedical subjects

M Munoz

Publications and source records attributed to M Munoz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Erectile response to visual erotic stimuli before and after intracavernosal papaverine, and its relationship to nocturnal penile tumescence and psychometric assessment.

Three methods of assessing erectile capacity--nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT), response to visual erotic stimuli (VES) and to intracavernosal papaverine (ICI)--have been assessed in 42 men presenting with erectile dysfunction. There was some overlap but also important differences between the 3 measures. Subjects were divided into "high" and "low" NPT groups. The "high" group produced greater erectile responses to both VES and ICI. The combination of VES and ICI was the best discriminator of the two NPT groups, and may be of diagnostic value, particularly in younger men, reducing the need for repeated injections and higher doses of papaverine. In the "low" NPT group, presumed predominantly organic, the ICI response correlated better than the VES response with NPT. In the "high" NPT group, the opposite applied, suggesting that in "psychogenic" cases, response to ICI may be modified by psychological mechanisms which could be of aetiological importance and which deserve further study. These three methods should be regarded as measuring different aspects of erectile function and not as alternative diagnostic procedures. More research is required before their respective diagnostic values are established.

Adult

Double-blind study of tenoxicam suppositories versus piroxicam suppositories in acute non-articular rheumatism.

The effectiveness and tolerability of tenoxicam and piroxicam, administered as a once-daily 20 mg suppository, were assessed in a comparative, randomised, double-blind trial in 48 subjects suffering from acute non-articular rheumatism. Both spontaneous and induced pain improved significantly with each of the treatments. There was no significant difference between the two treatments, whatever criterion of effectiveness was considered, i.e. spontaneous pain, induced pain or overall judgement. The incidence of undesirable side-effects was comparable for both treatments. Thirteen per cent of patients in the tenoxicam group and 16% of the patients in the piroxicam group experienced at least one undesirable side-effect. The majority of reported side-effects were of a digestive nature; however none of these were serious. The risk/benefit ratio of tenoxicam was found to be identical to that of piroxicam in the treatment of acute non-articular rheumatism.

Acute Disease

The sheep (Ovis aries) as an experimental model for African trypanosomiasis. II. Biological study.

Sheep that have been experimentally infected with a strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei reproduce the clinical symptomatology of human African trypanosomiasis. We measured two biochemical parameters which are altered during the infection; total serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteins, and the time of appearance and levels of IgM in both serum and CSF. Serum protein levels were considerably raised (up to 90 gl-1), although in CSF the levels were always less than 1 gl-1. The ratio of serum albumin to globulins fell to a value of 0.40 during the course of the disease. Electrophoresis of CSF proteins demonstrated the appearance of polyclonal immunoglobulins. Plasma IgM levels rose to ten times normal values, and after the sixth week IgMs made up 10% of total CSF protein content. Specific antibodies were detected, by both indirect immunofluorescence and an ELISA technique, within two weeks after infection in the blood and after four weeks in the CSF.

Animals

[Treatment of experimental trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei in sheep: study of the minimum active dose of melarsoprol].

Trypanosoma brucei brucei experimentally infected sheep with central nervous system involvement were treated with melarsoprol (Arsobal, Specia, France). The purpose was to determine minimum efficiency concentrations of this drug. Eight sheep divided in four groups of two animals were treated intravenously for 3 days with the following respective dosages: 1.8, 0.9, 0.45 and 0.225 mg/kg/d. After a year of observation, efficient dosages were 1.8 and 0.9 mg/kg/d. The experimentation suggests the possibility to reduce usually given dosages in man.

Animals

[Treatment of experimental trypanosomiasis of sheep caused by Trypanosoma brucei brucei: efficacy of Ro 15-0216 (a 2-nitroimidazole derivative)].

An experiment was carried out on treatment of Trypanosoma brucei brucei experimentally infected sheep with central nervous system involvement with a 2-nitroimidazole derivative: Ro 15-0216 (Hoffmann La Roche & Co Ltd, Basel, Switzerland). After a single intramuscularly or intravenously administration (25 or 50 mg/kg) of this compound in healthy sheep, levels of more than 1 microgram/ml corresponding to trypanocidal concentrations are detected in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid. However, because of short half life, two or three injections a day appeared to be necessary. Six infected sheep were treated by daily intravenous injection for six days: three animals with 25 mg/kg/d and three others with 50 mg/kg/d. Animals which relapsed received 50 mg/kg/d divided in three intravenous injections a day for six days. After a year of observation, all the animals were considered clinically and biologically cured.

Acetanilides

[A neuro-epidemiologic survey in a Limousin town].

One characteristic of the Limousin district is the raised average age of its population. Given the growing average age found in France and the ensuing potential problems, it was thought useful to undertake a neuro-epidemiological study of the distribution of neurological diseases in this region. The initial step involved checking the techniques to be used and the form of questionnaire relevant to this type of study. Following W.H.O. recommendations, the total population of one small town was surveyed, and the distribution of various neurological ailments was thus measured (headaches, migraine, cluster headaches: 12.73 p. 100, transient ischemic attack: 1.89 p. 100, stroke: 1.36 p. 100, epilepsy: 1.68 p. 100. Parkinson's disease 1.47 p. 100, dementia: 0.31 p. 100, misc: 0.84 p. 100). These figures were compared with the results from similar pilot projects carried out elsewhere around the world. The results obtained in this preliminary study enabled us to perfect the methods, and to perform a more extensive survey of a representative cross section of the Limousin population. This larger study will be published later.

Adolescent

Compensatory mechanisms in congenital nystagmus.

Congenital nystagmus may occur in a manifest or latent form. Since most patients with latent nystagmus also have nystagmus with both eyes open (manifest latent nystagmus), differentiation between these two entities frequently requires electronystagmographic wave form analysis. Such analysis shows distinctive characteristics for manifest and latent or manifest latent congenital nystagmus, suggesting different origins. Several compensation mechanisms exist by which congenital nystagmus is decreased and visual acuity improved. For manifest nystagmus, these mechanisms include version or convergence innervation or a rest point between primary position and maximal lateroversion. In latent or manifest latent nystagmus, the nystagmus decreases when the fixating eye is adducted. Patients with manifest congenital nystagmus may use several of these compensation strategies. Because of the difficulties involved in distinguishing between manifest and manifest latent nystagmus without electronystagmography, confusion has arisen regarding the etiologic relationship between congenital nystagmus and infantile esotropia. Such relationship clearly exists in some patients with manifest nystagmus and convergence dampening. However, in most patients with infantile esotropia and congenital nystagmus, the nystagmus is latent or manifest latent and there is no evidence of a causal relationship between these two entities.

Adaptation, Physiological

Some connections of the area octavolateralis of Pleurodeles waltlii. A study with horseradish peroxidase under in vitro conditions.

Horseradish peroxidase application in exsanguinated, pre-perfused newts, Pleurodeles waltlii, appeared to be very useful to study the connections of the area octavolateralis. Efferents from the octavolateral area course via bilateral lemnisci to the tectum and a presumptive torus semicircularis in the midbrain. Additional projections to the oculomotor nuclei, cerebellum, reticular formation, contralateral octavolateral area, and spinal cord were observed. The area octavolateralis receives inputs from the cerebellum and the contralateral octavolateral area. It is concluded that the octavolateral second order projections in Pleurodeles waltlii resemble in many respects those reported for other vertebrates that possess a complete octavolateralis system.

Afferent Pathways

Distribution and morphology of abducens motoneurons innervating the lateral rectus and retractor bulbi muscles in the frog Rana ridibunda.

The distribution and morphology of the neurons innervating the lateral rectus and retractor bulbi muscles of the frog Rana ridibunda were studied by means of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The neurons are located in the rhombencephalon in two distinct groups which lie dorsolateral and lateral to the fasciculus longitudinalis medialis and represent the main and accessory abducens nuclei, respectively. From HRP injections into the two muscles, it can be concluded that multipolar neurons located rostrally in the main abducens nucleus innervate the lateral rectus muscle. The retractor bulbi muscle receives its innervation from bipolar, fusiform neurons located in the caudal portion of the main abducens nucleus and throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the accessory abducens nucleus.

Abducens Nerve

Pituitary function in human pseudocyesis.

Two young women with clinically established pseudocyesis were studied by endometrial biopsy, basal hormonal serum levels and dynamic pituitary testing. Basal serum levels of PRL and TSH were in the normal range; estradiol - 17 beta, progesterone and FSH were in the follicular phase range, but LH was in the follicular phase range in one patient and in the climateric range in the other one. The histologic assessment of the endometrial biopsies disclosed a proliferative endometrium in both patients. A group of six patients with hypothalamic amenorrhea were subjected to dynamic pituitary testing to compare results with those obtained in the two patients with pseudocyesis. The dynamic pituitary response to GnRH, TRH and metoclopramide was normal in the two patients with pseudocyesis and in the group with hypothalamic amenorrhea; moreover, challenge with estradiol benzoate (EB) in the two patients with pseudocyesis disclosed a normal positive feedback of LH. These observations and the analysis of data already published suggest that the amenorrhea of pseudocyesis is associated neither with a persistent corpus luteum nor chronic hyperprolactinemia. We suggest that an abnormality in neurotransmitter pathways results in alterations of pituitary hormone secretion. However, additional patients must be studied to prove or disprove this hypothesis.

Adolescent

[Cauda equina syndromes in ankylosing spondyloarthritis, detected urologically].

The authors stress the importance of sphincter disorders especially bladder, in these patients. These disorders may compromise the vital prognosis. An accurate neuro-urological work-up is absolutely necessary. It will guide the functional rehabilitation. Which, as a rule, will improve the patients' comfort and prevent the occurrence of urinary complications, with the use, as in the case reported, of non-sterile intermittent self-catheterization.

Aged

Development of the polycystic ovarian condition (PCO) in the estradiol valerate-treated rat.

A wide range of experimental manipulations results in an anovulatory polycystic ovarian (PCO) condition in the rat. Although PCO has been studied in a number of these models, research has centered on the condition after it is well established rather than as it develops. Consequently, it is still not clear exactly what follicular cysts are or how and why they form. Therefore, we studied the development of PCO in rats treated with estradiol-valerate (EV). In this model, definitive cysts were present 8-9 wk after a single injection of EV. Animals were killed at 5, 11, 16, 21, 28 and 56 days after EV treatment. Serum was assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Ovaries were weighed and prepared for histologic examination. The ovaries were serially sectioned such that the number and size distribution of normal and atretic follicles could be assessed quantitatively. Oviducts were examined for the presence of ova. Immediately after EV treatment, ovulatory cycles ceased; by 16-20 days posttreatment, all animals exhibited persistent vaginal cornification. Basal concentrations of serum LH and FSH fell to a nadir at 11 days posttreatment, after which both gonadotropins exhibited a trend toward recovery. Within the first 28 days after treatment, ovarian weights declined significantly as did the total number of healthy follicles. Atretic follicles of all sizes were particularly numerous at 16 days. By 28 days, the decline in the number of healthy follicles reached a plateau. Numerous atretic, large secondary follicles were particularly prominent on the background of the decreasing number of normal follicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Highly selective recognition of human neuroblastoma cells by mouse monoclonal antibody to a cytoplasmic antigen.

Immunization of a BALB/c mouse with cells from the human neuroblastoma line LAN-1 and fusion of the spleen cells with mouse myeloma cells, NS-1, led to the production of a monoclonal antibody (Mab) with a rather unique reactivity for neuroblastoma. This Mab, named 5 A7, detects an antigen of an apparent molecular weight of 65,000-67,000, localized mainly in the cytoplasm and released into culture medium, as revealed by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting experiments. By immunoperoxidase staining using a biotin-avidin technique, Mab 5 A7 demonstrates a restrictive staining for neuroblastoma cell lines. Following extensive testing on freshly frozen specimens of neuroblastoma and other tumors, Mab 5 A7 shows a highly selective reactivity for neuroblastomas (13 of 14) and some cells of one primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ependymoblastoma). No reactivity could be detected with Mab 5 A7 on the 57 other tumor tissues tested. Among the normal fetal or adult tissue specimens tested, positive staining is found only on adult brain, colonic crypts, some renal tubules, and fetal medulla of the adrenal gland. Among bone marrow specimens tested, only those infiltrated by neuroblastoma cells gave a positive staining. Normal or malignant hematopoietic cells showed no reactivity with Mab 5 A7. Our results with Mab 5 A7 suggest that this reagent not only provides a valuable probe for the immunohistological diagnosis of neuroblastoma on fresh tumor specimens but also allows the detection of bone marrow infiltration by neuroblastoma cells.

Animals

[Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid by isoelectrofocusing on agarose in multiple sclerosis].

Intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulins can be proved by means of two methods: quantitatively by immunoglobulins titration in CSF, the results expressed with several ratios; qualitatively by demonstration of oligoclonal distribution of gammaglobulins. IEF is the most sensitive of the qualitative methods. From a technical point of view Agarose Isoelectrofocusing seems to be a better method than polyacrylamide isoelectrofocusing and permits, when the interpretation is difficult, immunofixation into the gel. The authors report the results of a comparative study between the evaluation of the IgG Index and agarose isoelectrofocusing of 281 CSF divided into 113 CSF from patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and 168 CSF from patients with other neurological diseases (OND). Sensitivity of IEF was higher than IgG index to prove intrathecal IgG synthesis: in the group of patients with MS, 91 p. 100 of CSF were abnormal instead of 72 p. 100 of IgG Index. In the group of patients with OND, abnormalities in IEF were low (5 p. 100) but the number of inflammatory diseases was poor. These results were similar with the findings of many authors using the same methods. In our opinion, IEF is the best technique which a specialized laboratory can use in routine to prove an immunoglobulin intrathecal synthesis.

Central Nervous System

Potentiation between intracellular cyclic-AMP-elevating agents and inducers of leukemic cell differentiation.

Acute leukemia is the result of a defect in the process of normal cellular differentiation. Human leukemia cell lines (HL60, RDFD-2) have been established which can be induced to differentiate into phenotypically mature cells by a variety of agents. Recent evidence suggests that cyclic adenosine 3'-5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and the cAMP dependent protein kinase (cAMP-dPK) may be intimately involved in myeloid differentiation. The addition of low levels of a wide variety of inducers of a diverse chemical nature, dimethylformamide (DMF), retinoic acid (RA), actinomycin D (ACT-D) or hypoxanthine (HPX) prior to the addition of 8-bromo-cyclic adenosine 3'-5' monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), cholera toxin (CT) or the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) results in marked potentiation of differentiation of both HL60 and RDFD cells as manifested by the acquisition of the antigen OKM-1, the ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium or expression of the chemotactic receptor. Potentiation of differentiation is also observed when 8-Br-cAMP, CT or IBMX is added prior to the addition of either RA, DMF, ACT-D or HPX. These results suggest a role for cAMP in myeloid differentiation.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine