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P Pinto

Publications and source records attributed to P Pinto.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Human cerebral osmolytes during chronic hyponatremia. A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

The pathogenesis of morbidity associated with hyponatremia is postulated to be determined by the state of intracellular cerebral osmolytes. Previously inaccessible, these metabolites can now be quantitated by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. An in vivo quantitative assay of osmolytes was performed in 12 chronic hyponatremic patients (mean serum sodium 120 meq/liter) and 10 normal controls. Short echo time proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of occipital gray and parietal white matter locations revealed dramatic reduction in the concentrations of several metabolites. In gray matter, myo-inositol was most profoundly reduced at 49% of control value. Choline containing compounds were reduced 36%, creatine/phosphocreatine 19%, and N-acetylaspartate 11% from controls. Similar changes were found in white matter. Recovery of osmolyte concentrations was demonstrated in four patients studied 8-14 wk later. These results are consistent with a reversible osmolyte reduction under hypoosmolar stress in the intact human brain and offer novel suggestions for treatment and monitoring of this common clinical event.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Morphological and/or functional imagiology diagnosis of epiphora.

Several tests and examinations are necessary for an accurate diagnosis of disorders of the lacrimal drainage system. The AA studied 100 patients with epiphora, divided in two groups. Forty patients, first group (I), aged between 4 and 78 years old (mean age 47.8 +/- 9.6 years), were examined using the classical tests for the study of epiphora, sequential dacryoscintigraphy (SD) and conventional subtraction macrodacryocystrography (CSMD). In the second group (II), 60 patients (aged 45.5 +/- 8.7 years) were studied using the classical tests and by digital subtraction macrodacryocystography (DSMD). The results showed that when functional epiphora is present, there is no difference between a simple clinical approach and sequential dacryoscintigraphy. However, when information is needed regarding choice of surgical approach, DSMD appears to give the best results.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Digital subtraction macrodacryocystography by videotechnique.

Digital subtraction macrodacryocystography (DSMD) has proved to be the best imaging method for diagnosing situations of stenosis of the lacrimal system. The examination is performed with a computer-controlled X-ray unit with a C-arc coupled to an image intensifier TV system with a fluoroscopic control. All the findings were recorded on videotape thus allowing good dynamic flow documentation and contributing to improved scientific analysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Respiration and heart rate variability during sleep in untreated Parkinson patients.

Twenty-six patients with untreated mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (PD) lasting 5 years or less, were investigated in the sleep laboratory. Sleep architecture and respiration during sleep did not significantly differ from age-matched controls. PD patients showed defective cardiac autonomic control during sleep, mainly parasympathetic but also sympathetic in nature, although they had normal results in conventional autonomic tests during wakefulness. Therefore, autonomic cardiac involvement seems to be an early sign of PD.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The effects of monensin on Golgi complex of adrenal cortex and steroidogenesis.

The ultrastructural and biochemical changes produced by monensin on zona fasciculata cells of the rat adrenal cortex are described. In this study we used adrenal cells in culture, adrenal slices and the intact animal. Monensin (1 microM) was added to the culture medium containing the cells, and to the incubation medium containing the adrenal slices, and was injected intravenously to the intact animal (0.65 mg/kg body weight). The ultrastructural alterations were similar in the three experimental conditions, and consisted of Golgi complex disorganization with dilated cisternae or large smooth vesicles. Quantitative analysis showed a significant increase of the relative volume of the Golgi area. The biochemical study demonstrated a significant decrease of corticosterone concentrations in culture medium after monensin addition, and in adrenal glands from treated rats. These results showed that monensin alters the fine structure of adrenal cortex Golgi complex and inhibits corticosteroidogenesis, which supports the probable role of the Golgi complex in the regulation of steroidogenesis.

Adrenal Cortex↗
PubMed1990

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction during sleep in some neurological diseases.

The most widely used tests for the investigation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning measure the heart rate (HR) variations during wakefulness. Most tests have some limitations: they require patient collaboration and can be modified by his or her emotional status. We studied HR variability in relation to body movements during sleep in some neurological diseases. Our method seems to be better than the traditional tests in detecting early cardiac ANS damage, especially when the patient is non-co-operative for ANS evaluation during wakefulness after various stimuli.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of Alzheimer's disease with presenile onset: a case control study.

Little is known regarding the pathogenetic factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied 63 AD patients in order to evaluate if there were clinical subtypes of AD and whether prior illnesses and life-styles were involved in the development of the disease. In our patients selected for onset of symptoms before age 65 we did not find any significant clinical heterogeneity. Furthermore, we found no data in the medical history that are predictive for the development of presenile AD but observed a significantly increased frequency of dementia in the families of AD patients in comparison to controls.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Effects of flunitrazepam on cognitive functions.

The effects of various oral doses (1, 2, 4 mg) of flunitrazepam on vigilance, attention, immediate memory, short-term memory, learning, non-consolidated and consolidated long-term memory were determined. Twelve healthy young male volunteers were given placebo or flunitrazepam in a double-blind, random latin-square sequence, crossing over every 2 weeks. Volunteers completed a battery of tests at night, 3.5 h after drug administration, and in the morning, 10 h after drug administration. Flunitrazepam 1 mg did not significantly impair any of the functions tested at night, while 4 mg impaired vigilance, attention, immediate memory, short-term verbal memory and learning. The impairments of immediate and short-term memory seem to be related and proportional to reductions in vigilance and attention. Doses of 2 mg and 4 mg impaired the speed of learning but did not decrease the amount of material learned. Flunitrazepam caused dose-related impairment of long-term memory, both consolidated and not. This reduction of long-term memory does not seem to be related to the impairments of vigilance, attention or learning. The lowest dose did not modify vigilance and learning in any subject, improved attention in half of the subjects but reduced long-term memory in a similar number of subjects. Therefore, our results indicate selective impairment of long-term memory. Since there were no differences between the effects on consolidated and non-consolidated memory, the amnesic effect of flunitrazepam seems to be due to a decrease in the storage of memory traces. There were no clear generalized residual effects in the morning after administration.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Neuron-binding antibodies in Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome.

We used an indirect immunoperoxidase technique (Avidin-Biotin system) to study the sera of patients with "clinically probable" Alzheimer's disease (AD) and with Down's Syndrome (DS), compared with age-matched controls. Diluted sera were incubated with paraffin sections of hippocampus, frontal, temporal, and parieto-occipital lobes from normal human brains. Biotinylated anti-human goat gamma-globulins were used as secondary antisera. A significantly greater percentage of neurons were immunostained in all the brain regions (frontal, temporal, and parieto-occipital lobes and hippocampus) incubated with sera of AD patients than with sera of DS patients or of controls. This indicates that AD patients have an excess of circulating neuron-binding antibodies (NBAs), mainly reacting with cytoplasmic structures. NBAs could be either the cause or the result of the cerebral lesion found in AD. This study is not able to answer this question, but some previous data from our own and other laboratories suggest that NBAs have a role in the pathogenesis of AD lesions. Since we found no increase of NBAs in DS patients, the brain lesions in DS appear to have a different pathogenesis.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

[Ultrasonic inspection of the permeability of surgical portacaval shunts].

Ultrasonography was used to evaluate the patency of portocaval shunts in 9 patients: 2 with spleno-renal anastomosis, 4 with portocaval truncular anastomosis, 2 with mesenteric-caval shunt and 1 with atypical shunt. The shunt count be demonstrated in 7 of these 9 patients. Angiography was performed in 6 cases and confirmed the results of ultrasonography--a finding favourable to the latter method and in agreement with those of other authors. However, the usefulness of ultrasonography varies according to the type of shunt created, as shown by our own experience and by published reports: 70% of portocaval truncular shunts, 65% of spleno-renal shunts and 46% of mesenteric-caval shunts are demonstrable by ultrasounds, these variations being due to differences in location and accessibility to the ultrasonic examination. It ultrasonography fails to display the anastomosis, it may provide indirect signs of patency. In addition to being harmless and relatively inexpensive, ultrasonography is a valuable method for evaluating portocaval shunts. It can easily be repeated and its results need not be confirmed by angiography.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Bacterial environment and infectious complications of arterial prostheses. Retrospective study of 111 cases].

648 pre-, per-, or post-operative bacteriological sample or 111 arterial prosthesis operated in a general surgical word were reviewed. Per operative cultures were positive in 2,5 per cent (intra-arterial thrombus or aneurysm wall), systematic post-operative cultures in 2,7 per cent (IV and urinary catheters, drains) and clinically oriented post-operative cultures in 10 per cent. No correlation between open pre-operative infection or bacterial contamination far from the wound and prosthetic infection was noted. Never the less, positive per-operative cultures or drains cultures has to be considered as a potential sepsis. According to the prevention of infection in a word including septic patients, the rate of prosthetic contamination was 1,8 per-cent and the rate of sub-cutaneous wound infection was 3,6 per-cent, which does not seem to be greater than usual results.

Adult↗