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Biomedical subjects

R Cabrera

Publications and source records attributed to R Cabrera.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

HLA haploidentical cord blood cell transplant in a 15-year-old, 50 kg weight patient: successful treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia after myeloid blastic transformation.

A 15-year-old, 50 kg weight patient with CML had a myeloblastic transformation which reverted to Ph negative remission with intensive chemotherapy 5 years after diagnosis. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) from an HLA-haploidentical sister had been frozen 2 years and 9 months before, as she had no HLA-identical sibling and no suitable unrelated donor had been found. UCB transplant was selected on the basis of previous general experience with this kind of transplant, lack of a better choice of donor, and likelihood of a prompt relapse of the disease without delay and the patient developed grade II aGVHD as well as severe CsA toxicity which required discontinuation of the drug, anti-IL2r being given instead. Subsequently she only had histologic evidence of cGVHD and 1.5 years after the transplant she remains in complete hematologic remission with full chimerism and without evidence of the bcr/abl fusion gene. This case illustrates further possibilities of allo-transplantation using UCB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Isolation of tumor-derived immunoglobulin-idiotype from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a B-cell lymphoma patient with minimal disease.

Active immunization with autologous idiotypic immunoglobulin, obtained by somatic fusion techniques, has been shown to be a useful alternative treatment in patients with B-cell lymphoma. Nevertheless, the requirement for biopsy specimens to obtain lymphoma cells could be a limitation to this therapeutic strategy. We address the question of whether peripheral blood samples containing small amounts of tumor cells can be used as appropriate fusion partners to rescue tumor-derived idiotypic proteins. In this report, we show that hybrid cells can be obtained from somatic fusions of K6H6/B5 heterohybridoma with lymphoma cells obtained from both lymph node (LN) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) containing only minor amounts of tumor cells. Some hybrid cells obtained from LN or PBMC fusions present an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy-chain gene rearrangement identical with that of the original tumor and secrete identical Ig protein containing the expected H and L chains.

Female↗
PubMed1995

Diagnosis of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease by polymerase chain reaction in fludarabine-treated B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD), has rarely been reported associated with B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL). We report a patient diagnosed with B-CLL, previously treated with fludarabine, who developed TA-GVHD after being transfused during surgery for splenectomy. Diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of donor DNA in the patient, by amplification of Y-chromosome sequence and analysis of minisatellite polymorphisms. B-CLL patients treated with fludarabine appear to be at risk for TA-GVHD and should be regarded as candidates for transfusions with irradiated blood products. This case illustrates that PCR is a rapid technique for the early diagnosis of TA-GVHD.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1995

[Efficacy of various treatments in the management of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in the adult].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ITP treatment modalities and their results in a series of 30 adult patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 30 patients, age 15-74, were diagnosed of ITP in our institution between 1988 and December 1991. We defined the ITP as: mild (platelets > or = 50 x 10(9)/L and < or = 120 x 10(9)/L), moderate (platelets 25-50 x 10(9)/L) and severe (platelets < or = 25 x 10(9)/L). Treatment was initiated when the platelet count reached a level < 50 x 10(9)/L. Initial therapy was oral prednisone or methyl-prednisolone in all patients. In 12 unresponsive patients the treatment included splenectomy. Patients who fail steroid therapy and splenectomy received additional lines of therapy, that included: vincristine (n = 2), vinblastine (n = 1), danazol (n = 5), anti D immunoglobulin (n = 6), methotrexate (n = 2), intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 3). RESULTS: Complete remission was obtained in 19 patients with a follow-up of 3 to 55 months (median, 30 months). Partial remission was achieved in 4 patients, that was sustained for 9 to 39 months (median, 22.5 months) after initial therapy. One unresponsive patient died of infection. Six mild ITP patients did not require therapy with a follow-up of 14 to 56 months (median, 33.1 months). CONCLUSION: In adult patients with mild ITP, therapy is not required. Steroid therapy remains the initial therapeutic choice for moderate and severe ITP. In unresponsive patients useful alternative choices are splenectomy, danazol, anti D immunoglobulin and methotrexate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Transitional cell papilloma of the ureter causing uretero-hydronephrosis in a child].

A case of transitional cell papilloma of the ureter is reported in a seven-year-old boy who had a history of left flank pain, involuntary voiding and nocturnal enuresis, and was found to have ureterohydronephrosis of a solitary left kidney and renal insufficiency. Renal function and morphology were restored by cutaneous loop ureterostomy, neoureterocystostomy and ureterostomy closure in a staged repair.

Child↗
PubMed1995

[Ovarian cysts in childhood].

It's perform a descriptive study about a series of events with the purpose of discover the own characteristics of ovarian cysts and which characteristics determine its treatment. In the 41 patients (10 newborn, 14 prepubertal females and 17 post-menarchal females) we analyzed their symptoms, pathological findings, ecographics details, treatment, diagnostic and follow-up. The predominant symptom has been the abdominal pain (18 patients). In 8 newborn the cyst was find before born by prenatal sonography. The cyst was palped like abdominal mass in 22 patients and it was like a picture of acute abdomen in 11. It was found in the right ovary in 24 patients and bilaterally in 7. By pelvic ultrasonography was observed a superior size of 5 cm of diameter in 28 occasions, in 17 there were imagine of complex and in 3 there were hemorrhagic. In 16 patients the suspicion diagnostic was of torsion and in 5 of appendicitis. The torsion was confirmed in 11. In 16 patients it was a follicular cyst, in 9 was a dermoidal and in 9 hemorrhagic. Was realized a surgical treatment (cystectomy or ooforectomy in 36 girls, in 4 was realized a puncture and evacuation (bigger of 5 cm with clear liquid) and in 7 was hope the spontaneous evolution (clear liquid and infer size of 5 cm). There were not relapses. The clinic manifestations are presents with own characteristics depending of the cyst affected to newborn, premenarchal or menarchal females. The indications of surgery are: symptoms which are not resolved after a observation time (24-49 hours) and cysts of big volume associated a complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Neonatal chronic stress induces subsensitivity to chronic stress in adult rats: II. Effects on estrous cycle in females.

The purpose of the present report was to determine the effect of exposure of females rats to the unpredictable chronic stress model and two models of predictable chronic stress (cold and handling), from day 2-15 of life, on the estrous cycle alterations caused by the unpredictable chronic stress in adulthood. Adult control and neonatally stressed rats were submitted to estrous cycle analysis for 8 days through microscopic observations of vaginal smears. They were then exposed to chronic aleatory stress, and vaginal smears were analyzed daily throughout the stress period (17 days) up to day 5 after completion of the treatment. It was found that this treatment caused constant diestrus in a majority of control females. Such diestrus started at day 5.75 +/- 0.96 of stress administration and was maintained up to day 20.0 +/- 0.49 (i.e., about 3 days after interruption of stress). This effect was prevented by the neonatal aleatory stress and the neonatal cold stress. Neonatal handling only attenuated the estrous cycle alterations; this group showed a period of diestrus no longer than 4 days during the 17-day exposure to stress. The increased resistance of neonatally stressed rats to the estrous cycle effects of chronic aleatory stress in adulthood supports the speculation that neonatal manipulation can increase resistance of rats to stress-induced reactions throughout life.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The effects of topical hypothermia and steroids on ATP levels in an in vivo liver ischemia model.

Complex hepatic surgery often requires occlusion of the portal triad in order to decrease parenchymal bleeding. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of topical hypothermia and intravenous steroids on liver ischemia by measuring adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels within the hepatic parenchyma. Forty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four experimental and four control groups. All experimental animals underwent laparotomy and ligation of the porta hepatis. Serial liver biopsy specimens were obtained at predetermined time intervals. Group I received no further intervention. Group II were topically cooled until intrahepatic temperature reached 30 degrees C. Group III received preligation intravenous methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg). Group IV received both steroids and topical hypothermia. The corresponding control groups underwent laparotomy and isolation of the porta without ligation. Adenosine triphosphate was extracted from the liver parenchyma and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The data were analyzed using a three-factor mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was a statistically significant protective effect on ATP levels provided by topical hypothermia at 15 and 30 minutes of ischemia (p < 0.01), but not at 60 minutes (p > 0.05). Steroids were not found to have any protective effect on ATP levels at any time point. The combination of steroids and topical hypothermia provided significant preservation of hepatic parenchymal ATP levels, although less than that of hypothermia alone, at 15 and 30 minutes of ischemia (p < 0.01).

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

[Clinical study of 113 cases of malignant melanoma].

Malignant Melanoma (MM) incidence rate is increasing faster than many other cancer at present time. Its epidemiological and clinical behavior varies within countries. We have studied 113 cases of cutaneous melanoma from 1982-1993, that represents until now the largest series of MM studied in Chile. Superficial Spreading Melanoma was the most common type of MM with 37.5% of total cases followed by Nodular Melanoma 31.2%. Acral Melanoma 22.1%, and Lentigo Malignant Melanoma with 7.8%. MM favored females with 60.2% (n = 68) and males constituted 39.8% (n = 45) of all cases. Median age at diagnosis was 54 years. Primary more frequent location for man was thorax (36.4%) and lower extremities for women (28.6%). Hemorrhage, ulceration and rapid growth of a previously pigmented lesion as the primary cause for first medical visit were associated with high level of invasion, generally over 2 mm. thick. Color change and pruritus were associated with lower level of invasion. Patients in stage I (78.3%) had 1.35 mm of median invasive thickness in the primary lesion and patients in stage II (15.7%) had 3.03 mm.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[The clinical characteristics of patients with torsion of the testicular and epididymal appendages].

With the aim of describe a typology that will result in a more precise diagnostic which in turn will permit the selection of the most direct method approach, an analysis was made of the clinical characteristics of patients we treated due to the presence of torsion of the testicular and epididymal appendages. A retrospective review was made of 91 patients, taking into account this age, time of appearance, time of evolution, symptoms, physical examination, histological study and effects. The average age was 9.47 years with a greater incidence occurring between the eight and twelve years old. No influence due to a seasonal phase was detected. The time span between the initial appearance of the symptoms and the time of admittance was 39.5 hours, being somewhat less in patients below the age of six. The common symptom was pain. In addition, 58.2% of the patients also suffered scrotal affectation. In 31 patients the hydatid was palpable and in 19 the "blue dot sign" rendered positive. In 83 cases, surgery was done via the scrotum, resulting in the confirmation of the initial diagnosis. The affectation of the left side was more frequent (62.5%). The hospital discharge was possible in less than 48 hours with no visible long-term effects. Thus, we believe that it is possible to almost always make a diagnosis based on the clinical data, and the type of treatment to be applied should be the extirpation of the hydatid to be carried out via the scrotum.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

In vitro progesterone effects on 3H-dopamine release from rat corpus striatum slices obtained under different endocrine conditions.

The release of dopamine (DA) from corpus striatum is affected by the endocrine state of the animal being progesterone suggested as a potential hormonal modulatory signal. Most of its actions have been described on endogenous DA release induced by amphetamine. However, the release of DA and the mechanism of the drug effect have been shown to be highly complexes. Considering that DA recently incorporated and/or synthetized is preferentially used we have characterized the effect of progesterone in vitro on the K(+)-induced release of 3H-dopamine (3H-DA) from rat corpus striatum slices. These were obtained during the estrous cycle or under conditions of high or low levels of endogenous progesterone (pregnant and ovariectomized rats). The release of 3H-DA was independent of the cycle. However, progesterone in vitro modified the induced release in a cycle-dependent way. Low concentrations of the hormone (100-200 mM) reduced the K+ (30 mM) effect while higher doses (300-500 mM) were facilitatories. After 7 days of ovariectomy, the induced release of 3H-DA was unchanged while in pregnant rats it was found decreased. In both cases the inhibitory effect of the hormone disappeared. Both progesterone (200 nM) and omission of Ca++ from the superfusion medium did not modified tyramine (20 microM) or K+ induced release, respectively. Data suggest that the pool of DA, related to exocytotic mechanism of release, could be specifically affected by progesterone, in a bimodal way, probably through independent genomic and non-genomic influences.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis in a population of Mexican schoolchildren.

The prevalence of dental caries and gingivitis was assessed in schoolchildren of the Tlalpan region in Mexico City. A total of 700 children (age range: 11-17 yr) of both sexes were examined. The sample population included children attending the Middle-School System, where two shifts are run (A.M. and P.M.). Decayed, missing and filled surfaces (DMFS), and Gingival Index (GI) were recorded for all existing teeth. Analysis of the data showed that mean DMFS scores increased with chronological age in both genders, were higher in the P.M. session, and more elevated in females. Similarly the mean GI scores also increased with age, and were higher in the P.M. session. In contrast to the DMFS scores, males presented higher GI scores than females at all age intervals. The results of our study indicated a distinctively high prevalence of caries and gingivitis in Mexican schoolchildren.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Computerized microassay of keratinocyte cell-plastic attachment and proliferation for assessing net stimulatory, inhibitory and toxic effects of compounds on nonimmortalized cell lines.

Testing of pharmacological agents that affect growth of epidermal keratinocytes (EK) requires a standardized assay. We have developed an assay measuring net effects of stimulatory (e.g. growth factors), inhibitory (e.g. methotrexate) or toxic (e.g. Triton X-100) compounds. The amount of crystal violet staining viable EK attached to the wells of standard 96-well microplates is measured in situ using an ELISA plate reader. Optical density readings are directly converted into cell counts by computer software. Counts obtained by this method strongly correlate with the results obtained using the [3H]thymidine uptake assay and direct cell counts. The assay standardizes measurements of nonimmortalized EK lines with different innate proliferative properties and allows accurate quantitation of EK numbers in the range of 2,500-500,000 EK/well.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed1993

[Neonatal hepatocholecystectomy because of an incarcerated umbilical hernia].

Two newborns are described, both with a hernia of the umbilical cord, which contained a piece of liver and gallbladder united to the normal liver by a thin pedicle. One of them showed typical features of Beckwith syndrome. In one patient the gallbladder was removed together with the accessory liver lobe, in the other, the accessory liver lobe was excised, and the gallbladder replaced into the abdominal cavity.

Cholecystectomy↗
PubMed1993

[Anorectal manometry in the newborn].

Anorectal manometry was performed in 32 newborn. There were 18 preterm and 14 fullterm infants, mean ages 6.1 and 7.1 days respectively. The rectoanal inhibitory reflex (RIR) was positive in 31 of the newborn, and the relaxation waves produced by rectal distention were recorded along the anal canal and were directly correlated to intensity of the stimulus. In the remaining patient RIR was negative, due to Hirschsprung's disease, confirmed at surgery. The length of the anal canal was 10.3 +/- 2 mm. in preterm newborn infants and 14.7 +/- 2.9 mm, in fullterm (p < 0.0001). These findings suggests that presence of RIR is independent of the weight, gestational age and birth age of the infant, and that anal canal length is correlated with the weight of the infant. We conclude that anorectal manometry, in the neonatal period, is a simple, reliable and safe method to test anorectal functionality, including the study of Hirschsprung's disease.

Female↗
PubMed1993

The immunology of scabies.

Individuals with scabies react to bites by generating a cell-mediated immune response at the bite site. This elicits a very itchy papule that is often excoriated. Sometimes ulcerated papules, vasculitis, and nodules develop as a result of other immunologic reactions in skin. Immunologic reactions mediated by antibodies of the immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and especially, IgE classes may also be involved. None of these reactions have been shown to eliminate all mites from the skin surface, but locally these reactions may prevent the epidemic multiplication of scabies' organisms on the skin surface, as observed in some patients with crusted scabies.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗