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Biomedical subjects

S Torres

Publications and source records attributed to S Torres.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Hyperendemic focus of Q fever related to sheep and wind.

Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis which is caused by Coxiella burnetii and presents as both acute or chronic cases. The disease can be transmitted from animal reservoirs to humans by the inhalation of infected aerosols. The authors investigated the epidemiology of Q fever in the Bouches-du-Rhône district of southern France. The study area was centered around the small town of Martigues near the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, where the incidence of the disease seemed higher than in neighboring areas. Epidemiologic data included sheep breeding and wind. Between 1990 and 1995, Q fever was diagnosed in 289 patients, leading to an incidence rate of 35.4 per 100,000 in the study area (range: 6-132), compared with 6.6 in the area of Marseille, and 11.4 in the area of Aix-en-Provence. There was a graphical and statistical relation between the sheep densities, the incidence of the disease, and the strong, local wind known as the Mistral, which blows from the northwest. Although Coxiella burnetii transmission is multifactorial, we may speculate that the high endemicity in the study area is related to a contamination by aerosols because the Mistral blows through the local steppe where 70,000 sheep are bred. This public health problem requires further studies in order to confirm this hypothesis, and to identify more individual and preventable risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of acute and chronic hepatotoxic effects exerted by anabolic-androgenic steroid stanozolol in adult male rats.

Stanozolol (ST) is a 17alpha-alkyl anabolic-androgenic steroid (17alpha-AAS) often misused by athletes and bodybuilders. The use of anabolic-steroids by sportsmen and teenagers has increased dramatically, thus raising the question about their hepatotoxicity, specially those such as ST which are orally administered. Previously, we have reported diverse in vivo effects exerted by this steroid and published the existence of a highly specific ST-binding site in male rat liver microsomes. The existence of this binding site, the reported hepatic effects exerted in humans, and the very limited information about its potential hepatotoxicity led us to treat adult male rats acutely and chronically with ST and study different parameters that could indicate liver damage: serum levels of transaminases, concentration of monooxygenase enzymes in liver, liver membrane lipid peroxidation products, liver histopathology, and cell cycle/ploidy status of liver cells. In our study, no changes in serum transaminases or lipid peroxidation levels were obtained. However, acute stanozolol treatment significantly decreased the levels of cytochrome P450 (Cyt. P450) and cytochrome b5 (Cyt. b5) during the first 48 h of treatment, while subsequently, at 72 and 96 h, these microsomal enzymes underwent a significant increase in their levels. In sharp contrast with this response to acute treatment, the content of these two enzymes during chronic treatment showed an important decrease. Interestingly, acutely and chronically ST-treated livers showed slight to moderate inflammatory or degenerative lesions in centrilobular hepatocytes. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that both acute and chronic ST treatment were capable of increasing the percentage of S-phase fraction (%SPF) of liver cells. These findings taken together clearly show that this steroid is capable of altering the liver capacity for metabolizing xenobiotics and indicate that high doses of ST could exert a proliferative effect on liver cells. Such data should be considered in risk evaluations for this compound.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Low levels of cathepsin D are associated with a poor prognosis in endometrial cancer.

Total cytosolic cathepsin D (Cat D) levels were estimated by an immunoradiometric assay in a series of 156 consecutive patients with surgical stages I-III primary endometrial adenocarcinoma. Simultaneously, the tissue content of both oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, and p185HER-2/neu, DNA content (ploidy), and the fraction of S-phase cells (S-phase) were also estimated. Tumoral Cat D content ranged from 0 to 243 pmol mg(-1) protein (median 44 pmol mg(-1) protein) and was not associated with any of the established clinicopathological and biological prognostic variables, with the exception of a weak positive correlation with the tumoral p185HER-2/neu levels. Univariable analysis performed on a subset of 97 patients, followed for a minimum of 2 years or until death, showed that patient age at diagnosis, high histological grade, advanced surgical stage, vascular invasion, positive peritoneal cytology, low levels of Cat D, negative ER and PR status, aneuploidy, and high S-phase were predictive of the presence of persistent or recurrent disease. However, multivariable analysis revealed that only histological grade, surgical stage, Cat D and PR were significantly associated with the patient's outcome. From these findings, we conclude that Cat D is an independent prognostic factor in endometrial adenocarcinoma, its low levels being associated with a worse clinical outcome.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Women battering in primary care practice.

BACKGROUND: The organization of health care system to emphasize managed care has placed the primary care provider in an ideal position to assess the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on the health of women. Primary care practice provides a setting in which women can develop an ongoing relationship with their health care provider in which they feel safe to discuss IPV and possible options to improve their lives. Women's health and safety could be dramatically improved if primary care providers were prepared to assess, intervene and appropriately refer women who are in violent relationships. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to describe the prevalence of intimate partner violence in primary care populations and review the known physical, mental health and pregnancy consequences of abuse as well as discuss the implications of intimate partner violence on primary care practice.

Battered Women↗
PubMed1999

Thyroid hormone regulation of rat hepatocyte proliferation and polyploidization.

The liver of adult mammals contains various classes of polyploid hepatocytes produced by a process that is partially regulated by hormones. However, it is not well understood how the hormones affect the rate of hepatocyte proliferation under physiological conditions. Here we have studied the specific roles of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), growth hormone (GH), and sex steroids on the percentage of diploid nuclei in S phase and on the population of liver tetraploid (4C) cell nuclei in several rat model systems. Gonadal steroids had no effect on the S phase but account for gender differences in the 4C nuclei. Hypophysectomy in adult male rats produced a moderate decrease in 4C nuclei that was reversed by treatment with 25 micrograms T3. kg-1. day-1, whereas treatment with 200 micrograms human recombinant GH (hGH). kg-1. day-1 was ineffective. Rats made hypothyroid by methimazole treatment of dams and pups until death showed a low S phase and only 5% of 4C nuclei at 70 days of age. T3 significantly increased the S phase 24 h after administration and restored the adult normal level of 4C nuclei after 10 days of treatment. hGH did not affect the 4C nuclei or the S phase in the hypothyroid rats. These results suggest that the processes of hepatocyte proliferation and polyploidization of the rat liver are under endocrine control, with thyroid hormones playing the essential regulatory role.

Aging↗
PubMed1998

[Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: a rare complication of acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by echocardiography].

Postmyocardial infarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm resulting from free wall rupture is a very rare finding. Its recognition during life is even rarer. Definitive preoperative diagnosis is difficult, implying, in a great number of cases, the use of multiple imaging modalities. A case of a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm as a mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction, which was diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography, is reported. The authors emphasize its rarity, the diagnostic difficulties involved and the contribution of echocardiography to the characterization of that lesion, allowing a definitive diagnosis prior surgery in this case.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Quantitative analysis of p185(HER-2/neu) protein in breast cancer and its association with other prognostic factors.

The total cellular p185(HER-2/neu) protein (p185) content was measured by ELISA in 346 invasive primary breast cancers, and the results were compared with those of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, pS2 and Cathepsin D (Cat D) content. At a cut-off level of 260 fmol/mg protein, 53 of the 346 tumors (15%) were p185-positive. A significant positive correlation was observed between p185 levels and those of Cat D, and a weaker, though significant, positive correlation with ER, and pS2 levels, but not with those of PR. However, when only the 293 p185-negative tumors were considered, the correlation between p185 and ER improved substantially, and statistical significance was reached for PR. p185-positive tumors exhibited lower ER and PR content and higher Cat D content than p185-negative tumors. The pS2 content, in contrast, did not undergo significant variation. Tumors considered to be p185-positive were significantly more frequently positive for Cat D at the cut-off of 45 pmol/mg protein, and were more frequently negative for ER and/or PR, but only significant at the cut-off of 15 fmol/mg or higher for both steroid receptors. Finally, p185 status was not associated with menopausal status, tumor size, axillary-lymph-node invasiveness or distant metastases. These results suggest that 260 fmol/mg protein as the cut-off for p185 allows the identification of a tumoral sub-population with a more aggresive phenotype.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Experimental treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with argentilactone isolated from Annona haematantha.

From the hexanic extract of roots of Annona haematantha an alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactone was isolated and identified as argentilactone. This compound exhibited in vitro activity against various strains of Leishmania ssp. at 10 micrograms/ml. BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis were treated four weeks after infection with argentilactone by oral or subcutaneous routes for 14 days at 25 mg/kg daily. The reference drug, N-methylglucamine antimonate, was administered by subcutaneous injections at 100 mg/kg for 14 days. In these conditions, argentilactone showed the same efficacy as the reference drug, reducing by 96% the parasite loads in the lesion and by 50% the parasite burden in spleen.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Superficial necrolytic dermatitis and a pancreatic endocrine tumour in a dog.

A 13-year-old dog was referred for a severe dermatological problem of 12 months duration. Skin biopsy results were compatible with superficial necrolytic dermatitis. The only laboratory abnormalities were hyperglycaemia and hyperglucagonaemia. These findings suggested a pancreatic endocrine tumour in association with superficial necrolytic dermatitis. Abdominal ultrasound examination was unremarkable. The dog was euthanased due to the lack of clinical improvement following symptomatic therapy. Postmortem examination revealed a pancreatic endocrine tumour with liver metastases. Pancreatic endocrine tumour cells were immunoreactive for glucagon, insulin and islet amyloid polypeptide.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1997

[The echocardiographic diagnosis of a rare complication of an aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva].

We report the case of a patient with complete heart block caused by extension of a congenital aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva into the upper interventricular septum, which was diagnosed by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. We emphasize the rarity of this pathology and the value of transesophageal echocardiography in its assessment, providing a complete anatomicofunctional characterization and allowing surgical repair without previous cardiac catheterization.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Validation of a differential PCR and an ELISA procedure in studying HER-2/neu status in breast cancer.

HER-2/neu oncogene status and total cellular p185HER-2 content were simultaneously analyzed in 415 invasive breast-cancer specimens by differential PCR and ELISA respectively. Mathematical analysis of the data led us to establish a cut-off value of 1.7 for the ratio between the intensity of the HER-2/neu gene band and the reference gene band, to consider the HER-2/neu gene amplified, and of 260 fmol/mg protein, to consider p185HER-2 over-expressed. Of the 415 tumors studied, 15% showed a diverse degree of HER-2/neu gene amplification. Of these tumors, 87% showed over-expression of the p185HER-2. Of the remaining 352 specimens that did not display HER-2/neu gene amplification, 97% showed no p185HER-2 over-expression (p < 0.0001). In 40 selected samples with a p185HER-2 level lower than 260 fmol/mg protein, the degree of p185HER-2 phosphorylation was very low or undetectable. Conversely, 38 of 46 selected tumors with a p185HER-2 level higher than 260 fmol/mg protein exhibited a considerable degree of p185HER-2 phosphorylation (p < 0.0001). Our data suggest that: (i) differential PCR and ELISA, which are relatively simple procedures, give similar information on HER-2/neu status in breast cancer; and (ii) given the large series analyzed, the cutoff values established can be considered as safe values for determining whether, in a given tumor, the HER-2/neu oncogene is amplified or p185HER-2 is over-expressed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1996

[Prognostic significance of postoperative septic complications in surgery of rectal carcinoma].

AIM: To assess whether there is a correlation between the onset of postoperative sepsis and the 5-years survival rate in patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A retrospective study of all patients, undergoing rectal cancer surgery during the period January 1981-December 1987. PLACE: General Surgery Unit, Hospital Arnau de Vilanova. PATIENTS: All patients operated with Duke's stage B and C colorectal neoplasms, excluding cases with postoperative complications not directly correlated to surgery: pneumonia, thromboblebitis, urinary infection or fever of unknown origin. FINDINGS: Postsurgical complications distinguished as minor (wall abscess) or major (anastomotic dehiscence, peritoneal abscess). 5-year survival rate. RESULTS: The actuarial 5-year survival rate of patients with major septic complications was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that in noncomplicated cases. No difference was observed in the survival of patients with and without minor septic complications. CONCLUSION: Major septic complications secondary to colorectal surgery are still a threat in spite of improved techniques and antibiotic prophylaxis, and negatively influence the long-term survival rate.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1995

Characterization of Paraguayan Trypanosoma cruzi strains isolated from acute patients of Chagas disease.

Five Paraguayan Trypanosoma cruzi strains, isolated from acute chagasic patients, were studied by their behavior in BALB/c mice, metacyelogenesis, bio-metry of metacyclic forms and lectin agglutination. Early and intermediate parasitemic peaks were observed and the strains did not show high virulence. Metacyclogenesis capacity was not higher than 50% in all cases and there were no considerable differences in the biometry. They all belong to WGA-type strains according to the lectin agglutination assays except for one strain that agglutinated with WGA and PNA lectins. Although previous schizodeme analysis of these strains showed rather homogeneous profiles, biological features were quite heterogeneous.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1994

[Comparison of intestinal parasite infestation indexes among HIV positive and negative populations].

This study was carried out on two groups of patients treated at the José de San Martín Clinical Hospital. One group was composed of 82 HIV-seropositive patients with no signs of diarrhea, and another one of 300 patients, not suspected of HIV infection, was considered as "control population". Stool samples were collected from each patient and examined for intestinal parasites. These determinations were carried out at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, in the same Hospital. Three specimens were obtained from each patient and processed in an identical form. Concentration methods, a direct smear technique after centrifugation and the trichrome staining procedure were performed on each sample. The HIV-positive group was found to harbor a higher proportion of intestinal parasites. Outstanding differences between both groups in percentages of parasitoses were observed. Species found in a significantly higher percentage among HIV seropositive patients were: Entamoeba histolytica (26.5%), Iodamoeba bütschlii (16.9%), Dientamoeba fragilis (25.3%), Blastocystis hominis (51.8%), Cryptosporidium sp. (7.2%), and probably Isospora belli (1.2%). No significant differences in percentages of Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba coli, Chilomastix mesnili and helminths were observed between both groups. Within the HIV-positive group, a higher proportion of infestation due to E. histolytica and I. bütschlii was observed in homosexuals-bisexuals than in intravenous drug addicts or heterosexuals.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗