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Biomedical subjects

R A Torres

Publications and source records attributed to R A Torres.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Recommendations for control and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in intravenous drug users.

Considerable evidence indicates that intravenous drug users are emerging as the group at greatest risk for both acquiring and spreading human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Thus, all possible methods to control the spread of HIV infection in intravenous drug users should be explored. Key recommendations are that HIV antibody testing of intravenous drug users should be voluntary, because mandatory testing is counterproductive; free distribution of needles and syringes to intravenous drug users should occur only in carefully controlled circumstances to determine its effectiveness in decreasing infection rates; and drug-free and methadone maintenance treatment programs should be available on demand to all intravenous drug users as a means of reducing the spread of HIV infection. At present, the primary strategy for prevention must be education resulting in behavioral change. Education is currently the only definitive means for controlling the spread of HIV infection among intravenous drug users, their sex contacts, and to fetuses.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1989

Multiple jejunal perforations secondary to cytomegalovirus in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Case report and review.

Disseminated cytomegalovirus infection in patients with AIDS usually involves the lungs, retina, esophagus, or colon. Gastrointestinal involvement may present clinically with fever, intractable diarrhea, and crampy abdominal pain. Ulcerations have been seen throughout the gastrointestinal tract, but perforations have been confined to the terminal ileum and colon. We report a case of a patient who presented with peritonitis with no prodromal symptoms and who, on exploration, had multiple large jejunal perforations secondary to cytomegalovirus enteropathy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Perineal continent colostomy. Report of a case.

A case of abdominoperineal amputation with continent colostomy with neosphincter implanted in the perineum is presented. The technique and its follow-up of 19 months are related. The success of 24-hour continence and the patient's comfort when compared with that of classic abdominal colostomies justify its use in selected patients.

Anus Neoplasms↗
PubMed1987

Early predictors of in-hospital mortality for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

One hundred forty-five patients were initially seen with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). Of the many features examined, several variables were identified early in the hospitalization for PCP that were associated with poor survival. These included multiple admissions, leukocytoses, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, decreased arterial oxygen pressure (tension), decreased arterial carbon dioxide pressure (tension), and decreased serum albumin levels. Variables that were associated with increased survival included normal respiratory rates and normal findings on lung examination. Patients with multiple pulmonary infections displayed higher mortality rates than patients who had only PCP. Finally, our data did not suggest that the degree of immunosuppression affected in-hospital mortality for PCP.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of zidovudine, didanosine, zalcitabine and no antiretroviral therapy in patients with advanced HIV disease.

Three nucleoside analogues, zidovudine (AZT), didanosine (ddI), and zalcitabine (ddC), are approved for use in the treatment of patients with HIV infection. This retrospective study compares the 3 drugs and examines the overall utility of antiretroviral therapy by way of comparisons to a no treatment (No Rx) group in patients with advanced HIV disease. Patients with advanced HIV disease were enrolled in didanosine (August 1989-December 1990) or zalcitabine (October 1990-February 1992) expanded access programmes; continued on zidovudine treatment despite fulfilling criteria for zidovudine failure or intolerance; or maintained on no antiretroviral treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that patients on nucleoside analogue therapy had fewer opportunistic infections (P = 0.001) than those who received no antiretroviral treatment. The Kaplan-Meier 12-month estimate of survival was significantly longer among patients who switched from zidovudine to zalcitabine but not among patients who switched to didanosine, when compared to the other 2 groups (P = 0.05).

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Species and genus specificity of the intergenic spacer (IGS) in the ribosomal RNA genes of Cucurbitaceae.

The use of intergenic spacer (IGS) fragments of plant ribosomal DNA (rDNA) for the differentiation between genera and species is tested by cross-hybridization experiments with different IGS probes of two Cucurbitaceae, Cucurbita pepo (zucchini) and Cucumis sativus (cucumber). Hybridization with cloned fragments of different parts of the IGS of ribosomal DNA exhibit a different degree of conservation within and between the Cucurbitaceae genera. In general, Cucurbita species seem to be closer related to each other than the Cucumis species. A repetitive element of the external transcribed spacer (ETS) shows a more genus-specific pattern, reacting only with the respective genera; the region preceding the ETS is conserved between the Cucurbita species but also cross-hybridizes weakly with the Cucumis species. A GC-rich element of the Cucumis sativus IGS ("Cfo-cluster") is present in small amounts in Cucumis melo (melon) and even less represented in other genera of the Cucurbitaceae.

Crosses, Genetic↗