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Biomedical subjects

S Carlos

Publications and source records attributed to S Carlos.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

[A study of clinical response to antibiotic treatment in subjects with chronic bacterial prostatitis].

A study was carried out on the clinical response to antibiotics in 105 patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis. Two groups of patients were compared in a retrospective study. The results of rectal examination, ultrasound scan, microbiological analysis, and response to different antibiotic therapy regimens were compared. There was a high incidence of perineal-testicular pain and sexual potency reduction; prostate congestion and pain on rectal examination were frequently reported. All the patients had positive microbial cultures, with Gram-negative microorganisms being predominantly isolated. Following the administration of different antibiotic therapy regimens, symptoms either disappeared or diminished, irrespective of whether positive cultures remained. A poorer clinical response was observed in patients with positive prostate ultrasound and rectal examination, and with isolated Gram-negative bacilli. No differences were observed between either group in clinical response to different antimicrobial regimens.

Adult↗

Rapid molecular analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of human influenza A H3N2 viruses isolated in spain from 1996 to 2000.

A simple molecular technique was used for the rapid preliminary genetic characterization of human influenza A H3N2 viruses isolated in Spain from 1996 to 2000. Subtyping, based on RT-PCR, was followed by subtype-specific restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses of an amplified region of the HA1 domain of the H3 haemagglutinin (HA) gene to distinguish variants differentiated by common amino acid substitutions in HA1. The approach was tested using 135 Spanish H3N2 isolates and included nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of a region of the HA1 domain of 41 representative isolates. The viruses were distinguished by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays into two antigenically discernible groups, the A/Wuhan/359/95-like and A/Sydney/5/97-like viruses. The results of PCR-RFLP analysis allowed a finer classification into five genetic variant subgroups, corresponding to those distinguished by phylogenetic analyses. This rapid, simple and variant-specific procedure could, therefore, be used to rapidly screen clinical specimens prior to more detailed antigenic and genetic analyses.

Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus↗

Intra-sellar salivary gland-like pleomorphic adenoma arising within the wall of a Rathke's cleft cyst.

Salivary gland rests occur in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland near or often communicating with the Rathke's cleft or its cystic subdivisions, and are usually incidental autopsy findings. They are attributed to the oropharyngeal development of the Rathke's pouch and may rarely give rise to salivary gland-like tumors in the sella. We present a pleomorphic adenoma, a rare tumor of the sellar region, that has not been previously recognized in association with Rathke's cleft cyst. It occurred in a 44-year-old man who presented with hypopituitarism and reduced vision. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar mass with suprasellar extension which was totally removed. It consisted of segments of a cyst wall lined by focally ciliated columnar of cuboid epithelium containing goblet cells. An eosinophilic granular material with cholesterol clefts represented the contents of the cyst. Within its wall there was a tumor with ductal structures and non-ductal varied cellular components including hypercellular areas of spindle and ovoid cells forming interlacing fascicles. Individual cells appeared to float in abundant mucinous material. The appearances were those of a salivary gland pleomorphic adenoma arising within the wall of a Rathke's cleft cyst. The myoepithelial nature of non-ductal tumor cells was confirmed with immunocytochemistry. The existence of seromucous glands communicating with the Rathke's cleft remnants, explains the concomitant occurrence of the tumor and the cyst. This rare neoplasm from salivary gland rest should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual sellar and suprasellar tumors.

Actins↗

Sequence and characterization of a sperm-specific histone H1-like protein of Mytilus californianus.

The major protein fraction of the protamine-like PL-II* (phi 2B) from the sperm of Mytilus californianus has been sequenced and characterized. Immunological and sequence analyses unequivocally show that this protein is indeed a member of the histone H1 family. Along with proteins of the histone H1 class, the protein also shows cross-reactivity and sequence identity, in its NH2-terminal region, with the major protamine-like protein component of Mytilus sperm: PL-III (phi 1), of smaller molecular mass. Indeed it is the unusual repetitive sequence motif of the NH2-terminal domain of PL-II* that bestows to this protein its protamine-like nature. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopy indicates that the protein contains considerable secondary structure: 18% alpha-helix, 21% beta-sheet, 39% turns and bends, 22% random coil. At the higher levels of structure, PL-II* exhibits ionic strength-dependent folding which is indistinguishable from that of histone H5, as monitored by fluorescence anisotropy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Post-translational cleavage of a histone H1-like protein in the sperm of Mytilus.

Starting with total RNA from spermatogenic cells of Mytilus trossulus and using random priming, we have cloned and sequenced the c-DNAs corresponding to two variants of the sperm-specific protein PLII* (phi 2B). DNA sequencing in conjunction with mass spectrometry and protein sequence data have allowed us to establish that of the three sperm-specific proteins present in the sperm of Mytilus (PL-II*(phi 2B), PL-III (phi 1), PL-IV (phi 3)), the first and the last one are the result of post-translational cleavage of a common precursor. This common precursor is a member of the histone H1 family, and it exhibits inter- and intraspecific microheterogeneity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Microheterogeneity and interspecific variability of the nuclear sperm proteins from Mytilus.

We have used acetic acid-urea-triton (AUT) gel electrophoresis and ionic exchange chromatography in order to analyze the interspecific variability and microheterogeneity pattern of the protamine-like (PL) proteins of the sperm of 4 different species of the bivalve mollusc, Mytilus. We have found that based upon these 2 criteria, it is possible to unambiguously distinguish each species from the rest. We have thus been able to corroborate the identity of M. trossulus. We have also analyzed the amino acid composition of some of the PL components for each different species. In the case of the PL-II* fraction, we have analyzed the composition of its major protein subcomponents.

Amino Acids↗

Bed mobility task performance in older adults.

Difficulty in transferring, the ability to rise in and out of a bed and chair, is a common problem in older adults, particularly those residing in skilled nursing facilities. Focusing on one aspect of transferring, rising from supine to sitting position, we devised a set of bed mobility tasks to test key arm, leg, and trunk movements that likely contribute to successful rising from bed. Healthy young controls (YC, n=22, mean age 23), and older adults (aged 60 and over) either residing independently in congregate housing (CH, n=29, mean age 84) or undergoing rehabilitation in a skilled nursing facility (SNF, mean age 77) were assessed in the time to rise from supine to sitting and in the ability or inability to perform 16 other bed mobility tasks. Trunk function-related tasks, specifically those requiring trunk elevation and trunk balance, were most difficult for the SNF, followed by CH, and then YC. Tasks focusing on trunk flexion strength (sit up arms crossed, bilateral heel raise) and lateral trunk strength/balance were the most difficult for both SNF and CH, although there was minimal difference in the percent unable to complete each task. The major CH-SNF differences occurred in trunk elevation tasks where the upper limb was important in facilitating trunk elevation (sit up with head of bed elevation with use of arms, sit up with the use of a trapeze, or sit up with use of arms from a flat bed position). These findings suggest that to improve frail older adult performance on bed mobility tasks, and specifically in rising from supine to sitting, training should move beyond improving trunk function (i.e., trunk strength). There should be an additional focus, either through therapy or bed design modifications, on how upper limb movements and positioning can be used to assist in trunk elevation.

Activities of Daily Living↗