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Biomedical subjects

M S Silva

Publications and source records attributed to M S Silva.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Inter-species variation of schistosome 28-kDa glutathione S-transferases.

The 28-kDa glutathione S-transferase from Schistosoma mansoni (Sm28GST) is a candidate vaccine antigen. To evaluate the antigenic and phylogenetic variations between the 28-kDa GSTs from 4 species of schistosome, we have cloned and sequenced the 28-kDa GSTs from Schistosoma haematobium (Sh28GST) and Schistosoma bovis (Sb28GST). Sb28GST and Sh28GST are more similar to each other (97%) than to Sm28GST (90%) and particularly to the 28-kDa GST from Schistosoma japonicum (Sj28GST, 77%). Antisera directed against the major Sm28GST epitopes revealed differences in the recognition of the 28-kDa GSTs from the other schistosome species suggesting that these regions have been subjected to evolutionary pressure. The consequences of such species-specific epitopes on the development of a multi-species anti-schistosome vaccine are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Forty-four patients with active Rheumatoid Arthritis were entered into a 6-month double-blind trial comparing homeopathy and placebo. The treatments were generally equally effective in most assessments. Statistically significant improvements were produced, however, in 3 of 5 and 2 of 5 results respectively assessed in homeopathic and placebo treated groups. There was no statistically significant difference between groups. Adverse effects were scarcely and comparably reported in both groups and did not require a change in therapy.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1986

Glucose in human semen.

The glucose content of normal human semen amounts to 0.41 +/- 0.09 mmol/l. As there is a negative correlation between this sugar and sperm motility, it must have an important role on the metabolism of these cells. Cervical mucus is very rich in glucose and does not contain fructose. This confirms utilization of glucose by spermatozoa.

Fructose↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Risk factors for pressure ulcer in bedridden patients].

Exploratory-descriptive study in which we aimed to identify, in the specialized literature, which predisposing conditions and risks factors would be related to the development of pressure ulcer, and to verify how often these predisposing conditions and risk factors would be present in bedridden patients, hospitalized in an institution that renders health services in João Pessoa-PB. From the analysis of results obtained, we concluded that there is the need to construct an instrument to measure this risk must suit our reality and that incorporates risk factors identified with a significant frequency in this study and are not contemplated in most of the available scales in the literature.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Retinol-binding protein urinary levels in a pediatric population: evolution according to age]

OBJECTIVE: The kidney of the child, mainly the newborn, is specially susceptible to ischemic and/or toxic injuries, which can affect the renal tubular function. Therefore, reliable and precocious markers of tubular dysfunction would be useful in Pediatrics. The urinary levels of retinol binding-protein (RBPu) has been used in this way. Our goal was to evaluate the RBPu behavior in childhood to establish a reference interval and verify possible differences according to the age. METHODS: We studied healthy children aged 1 month to 8 years and healthy term and preterm babies; in the last group we only included babies without hemodynamic repercussion. We collected isolated urine samples once for children above 1 month and periodically for those below this age. In this urine, besides the dipsticks test (Combur 9(R), Boehringer), RBPu and creatinine were measured. RESULTS: We observed that the RBPu levels in childhood do not have a normal distribution; after logarithm data transformation we were able to establish an interval of reference for children above one month of age: 3 to 269 micro g/L, mean of 27 micro g/ L. In newborns, we found a large variation of RBPu excretion. However, we noticed that the excretion decreases significantly, reaching the healthy adult levels at the end of the 1st month, for term as well as for preterm newborns. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that RBPu can be used as a marker of proximal tubular dysfunction, since we could establish an interval of reference, and it can be repeated whenever necessary in the follow-up of this kind of injury, because it is not an invasive exam. Moreover, this study contributes to the knowledge of the tubular function development for showing that at the end of the 1st month of life the newborn's kidney is able to reabsorb RBPu as the healthy adult kidney is.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Serum beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2M) following renal transplantation].

Although there was an important improvement in graft and patient survival the last 10 years, graft rejection continues to be a major barrier to the success of renal transplantation. Identification of a laboratory test that could help to diagnose graft rejection would facilitate the management of renal transplanted patients. PURPOSE--To evaluate the utility of monitoring serum beta 2M in recently transplanted patients. METHODS--We daily determined serum beta 2M levels in 20 receptors of renal grafts (10 from living related and 10 from cadaveric donors) and compared them to their clinical and laboratory evolution. RESULTS--Eight patients who presented immediate good renal function following grafting and did not have rejection had a mean serum beta 2M of 3.7 mg/L on the 4th day post transplant. The sensitivity of the test for the diagnosis of acute rejection was 87.5%, but the specificity was only 46%. Patients who presented acute tubular necrosis (ATN) without rejection had a progressive decrease in their serum levels of beta 2M, while their serum creatinine changed as they were dialyzed. In contrast, patients with ATN and concomitance of acute rejection or CSA nephrotoxicity presented elevated beta 2M and creatinine serum levels. CONCLUSION--Daily monitoring of serum beta 2M does not improve the ability to diagnose acute rejection in patients with good renal function. However, serum beta 2M levels seemed to be useful in diagnosing acute rejection or CSA nephrotoxicity in patients with ATN.

Adolescent↗