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Biomedical subjects

V Torres

Publications and source records attributed to V Torres.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Epstein-Barr virus positivity in primary vaginal lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the vagina is a rare location. Its association with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been only reported in another case. We present a new case, emphasizing the oncogenetic relevance of EBV. CASE REPORT: A 45-year-old woman with a pelvic pain revealed in her vaginal inspection a thick and hard vaginal plug with a "paving stone" appearance. The biopsy reported a vaginal non-Hodgkin lymphoma type B of intermediate cell, with positive result for EBV. After treatment, a complete remission was obtained. CONCLUSION: The EBV is the main responsible for the non-Hodgkin lymphoma; classified as a group I carcinogen, it has been associated with a variety of neoplastic tumors, although it is unusual with extranodal type B diffuse lymphoma.

Epstein-Barr Virus Infections↗
PubMed2001

Metastasis to the breast from extramammary malignancies: a report of four cases and a review of literature.

Breast metastases from extramammary tumours are rare with few cases reported. Four cases of metastasis to the breast are presented and the diagnostic problems of this condition are reviewed. Correlation between the histology of primary tumour and the cytology of breast metastatic tumour can avoid the surgical breast biopsy and unnecessary mastectomy. Metastasis to the breast has poor prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Prior aspirin users with acute non-ST-elevation coronary syndromes are at increased risk of cardiac events and benefit from enoxaparin.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article was to investigate whether prior aspirin use in patients with acute coronary syndromes affects clinical outcome. The Efficacy Safety Subcutaneous Enoxaparin in Non-Q-Wave Coronary Events Study (ESSENCE) and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 11B trials have shown superiority of enoxaparin over unfractionated heparin (UFH) in patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI). However, the treatment effect of enoxaparin in the subset of patients reporting prior aspirin use has not been determined. METHODS: The rate of death, myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization at days 8 and 43 after randomization was compared among patients who received aspirin within the week before randomization with those who did not receive aspirin in the TIMI 11B trial. A total of 3275 patients (84%) were prior aspirin users. RESULTS: The admission diagnosis was similar for prior and nonprior aspirin users. At both day 8 and day 43 the event rate was higher for prior aspirin users than for nonprior aspirin users (odds ratio 1.6 [1.24-2.08], P =.0004 at day 43), even after correction for baseline characteristics. Compared with those prior aspirin users taking UFH, enoxaparin-treated prior aspirin users had a reduced rate of the composite end point of death, myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization at day 8 (odds ratio 0.82 [0.67-1.00], P =.046) and day 43 (odds ratio 0.83 [0.70-0.98], P =.032). CONCLUSION: Patients with UA/NSTEMI and prior aspirin use had a 60% higher risk of death and cardiac ischemic events compared with nonprior aspirin users. On the basis of this subanalysis, enoxaparin is superior to UFH in all patients. In prior aspirin users the benefit is more clearly demonstrated.

Angina, Unstable↗
PubMed2001

Evaluation of human exposure to ambient PM10 in the metropolitan area of Mexico City using a GIS-based methodology.

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of outdoor exposure to fine particulate matter (PM10) potentially experienced by the population of metropolitan Mexico City. With the use of a geographic information system (GIS), spatially resolved PM10 distributions were generated and linked to the local population. The PM10 concentration exceeded the 24-hr air quality standard of 150 microg/m3 on 16% of the days, and the annual air quality standard of 50 microg/m3 was exceeded by almost twice its value in some places. The basic methodology described in this paper integrates spatial demographic and air quality databases, allowing the evaluation of various air pollution reduction scenarios. Achieving the annual air quality standard would represent a reduction in the annual arithmetic average concentration of 14 microg/m3 for the typical inhabitant. Human exposure to particulate matter (PM) has been associated with mortality and morbidity in Mexico City; reducing the concentration levels of this pollutant would represent a reduction in mortality and morbidity and the associated cost of such impacts. This methodology is critical to assessing the potential benefits of the current initiative to improve air quality implemented by the Environmental Metropolitan Commission of Mexico City.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2000

Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia.

The patient with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia represents a common management problem for the cardiologist. The challenges posed by this type of arrhythmia differs from those posed by other arrhythmias, because most instances of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia do not cause symptoms. This article reviews common situations in which nonsustained ventricular tachycardia occurs and their appropriate management.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents↗
PubMed1999

Relationship between induced sputum cell counts and fluid-phase eosinophil cationic protein and clinical or physiologic profiles in mild asthma.

BACKGROUND: Sputum analysis is the only non-invasive method to examine airway inflammatory processes in subjects with asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cell counts and fluid phase levels in induced sputum in subjects with mild asthma, and the severity of asthma as assessed by clinical, physiologic and blood measurements. METHODS: Forty patients with mild asthma, aged 17 to 49 years were studied (good sputum sample only from 31). On the first day, spirometry and methacholine challenges were performed. After 2 to 4 days, venous blood for absolute eosinophil count and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) measurement was obtained and sputum was induced by inhalation of hypertonic saline. For the next 15 days subjects recorded their peak expiratory flow (PEF), symptom scores, and beta2-agonist requirements twice daily. Differential counts of leukocytes were done on cytospin preparations of homogenized sputum and the supernatant was examined for eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). RESULTS: Sputum eosinophil counts and not neutrophil, epithelial cells, macrophages, or lymphocytes, were inversely correlated to FEV1/FVC % (r = -.57, P = .0008) and to PC20-methacholine (r = -.40, P = .024). No statistical relationship was obtained between eosinophil counts and either symptom scores, bronchodilator requirements, or daily PEF variability. Sputum ECP values were correlated to FEV1/FVC% (r = -.41, P = .026) but not to PC20 (r = -.32, P = .08) or clinical scores or PEF variation. A trend to significance was appreciated between peripheral blood and sputum eosinophil counts (r = .34, P = .067) and no relationship was found between sputum and serum ECP values (r = .10, P = .38). CONCLUSIONS: Although sputum markers give some information about disordered lung function and physiologic changes in the airways, they are not the only factors concerned in the clinical expression of mild asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Peak flow variability and sputum eosinophilia in allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Although some non-asthmatic subjects with allergic rhinitis exhibit airway hyperresponsiveness and increased diurnal peak expiratory flow (PEF) variation, little is known about the critical features that determine these physiologic alterations. OBJECTIVE: In subjects with allergic rhinitis and methacholine hyperresponsiveness but no asthma symptoms, we examined whether there were features of asthmatic airway inflammation. METHODS: Forty non-asthmatic adults (11 with allergic rhinitis and methacholine hyperresponsiveness, 20 with allergic rhinitis and normal methacholine responsiveness, and 9 healthy control subjects) were studied. Sputum was induced with inhaled hypertonic saline for 5-minute periods for up to 20 minutes. Plugs from the lower respiratory tract were selected for differential counting in cytocentrifuged preparations. For the next 14 days, subjects measured their PEF two times daily. Peak expiratory flow variation was expressed as amplitude % mean. RESULTS: Peak expiratory flow variation was significantly higher in subjects with allergic rhinitis and methacholine hyperresponsiveness than in allergic rhinitis patients with normal methacholine responsiveness and healthy controls. Eosinophil counts in the induced sputum were significantly higher in the subjects with allergic rhinitis and methacholine hyperresponsiveness [median (interquartile range), 7.3 (9.0)%] compared with allergic rhinitis patients with normal methacholine responsiveness [2.5 (3.8)%, P = .03] and healthy controls [1.0 (1.0)%, P = .02]. CONCLUSION: We conclude that eosinophilic inflammation may be present in subjects with allergic rhinitis and airway hyperresponsiveness even when there are no symptoms of asthma. This could indicate that bronchial eosinophilia is insufficient to cause asthmatic symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Radiologic digestive manifestations in patients with antibody deficiency].

UNLABELLED: In order to establish a relationship between radiological and clinical data and/or early diagnosis of the complications frequently found in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, we carried out gastrointestinal series (GIS) in 47 patients mean age 22.5 years with hypogammaglobulinemia or primary antibody deficiencies. RESULTS: 15 patients did not show any radiological abnormalities. Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (NLH) was found in 23 cases. None of the patients with NLH had gastrointestinal symptoms. Radiologic signs of malabsorption were present in 15 cases. 2 patients with radiologic signs of malabsorption (mean age 12 years) did have clinical or laboratory finding suggesting a malabsortive syndrome. Moreover, 2 patients showing clinical manifestations of malabsorption did not show any significant radiological findings. 4 patients were diagnosed of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) by means of endoscopy and gastric biopsy, whereas only in one of these cases GIS showed gastric fold atrophy, compatible with the pathologic diagnosis of CAG; 2 of these patients progressed to gastric cancer, a diagnosis that was done by endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: We have observed that NLH is more frequent in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia than in the normal population, it is asymptomatic and may be diagnosed by radiological methods. The radiological findings of malabsorption do not correlate with the clinical data. A combination of endoscopy and gastric biopsy is the method of choice for the early diagnosis of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer, since the radiological alterations found in GIS appear at late times. We conclude that GIS supplies few data to the study of digestive manifestations in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, except in the case of NLH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Effects of selected synthetic compounds on growth of Mucor rouxii.

The in vitro activity of four synthetic compounds was tested on fungal cells from Mucor rouxii. The compounds included phenylenediamine, two phenolamines, and quinone. At the concentrations tested (10(-2)-10(-4)M) the compounds exhibited antifungal activity, with the exception of quinone. On the basis of their effects on spore germination, and development of hyphae, phenylenediamine was the more active. The mechanism of action of the compounds is still unknown, but hyphae show morphological alterations and disturb the distribution of calcofluor in the cell wall. This suggests variations in the genesis of the cell wall.

Aniline Compounds↗
PubMed1994

Clinical and electrophysiologic spectrum of fascicular tachycardias.

The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical and electrophysiologic findings for patients with fascicular tachycardia (FT). Eight patients with FT, defined as tachycardia with HV interval during tachycardia less than that of HV of conducted impulses, were studied. ECG findings during FT included right bundle block and superior axis (four patients), right bundle branch block and inferior axis (one patient), and nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay (three patients). In three patients, entrainment as well as the ability to initiate and terminate the tachycardia favored a reentrant mechanism. In others, tachycardia initiation only over a critical range of paced cycle lengths and the incessant nature of the tachycardia or the presence of other atrial or ventricular foci favored a mechanism of either abnormal automaticity or triggered rhythms. Catheter ablation was successful in two of five patients in whom it was attempted. In conclusion, the ECG expression of FT is variable, depending on the site of origin of the arrhythmia in the ventricular specialized conduction system. Similarly, a variety of mechanisms and different foci may be associated with FT. Selected individuals may respond to catheter ablative therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Ethanol-derived immunoreactive species formed by free radical mechanisms.

Recent studies have shown that the alpha-hydroxyethyl radical (CH3CHOH), a metabolite of ethanol, is produced in vitro and in vivo. We report studies that establish the immunogenicity of alpha-hydroxyethyl radical-derived protein adducts. Rat liver microsomes incubated in the presence of [14C]ethanol and NADPH (under aerobic conditions) incorporate 14C into acid-stable adducts. Incorporation was markedly inhibited by the free-radical scavenger alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone. Rabbits immunized with rat liver microsomes that had been preincubated with ethanol and NADPH generated antibodies that recognized polylysine-acetaldehyde adducts and adducts formed by incubation of proteins with an alpha-hydroxyethyl radical-generating system (ethanol plus H2O2 plus Fe2+). Rabbits immunized with microsomes that had been preincubated with ethanol and NADPH plus alpha-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone generated antibodies that recognized polylysine-acetaldehyde adducts. However, their reactivity against alpha-hydroxyethyl-derived protein epitopes was greatly reduced or was virtually abolished. Data indicate that microsomes metabolizing ethanol generate two types of adducts, acetaldehyde-derived adducts and alpha-hydroxyethyl radical-derived adducts, both of which are immunogenic. Immunization of rabbits with alpha-hydroxyethyl-bovine serum albumin adducts led to the production of antibodies that recognized alpha-hydroxyethyl-rabbit serum albumin adducts but did not recognize the native protein. Chronic alcohol feeding of rats led to the production of antibodies that recognized alpha-hydroxyethyl-rat serum albumin adducts but did not recognize rat serum albumin. The study (i) indicates that alpha-hydroxyethyl radical-derived protein adducts are immunogenic, (ii) supports earlier work that proposed that alpha-hydroxyethyl radicals generated in different systems bind covalently to proteins, and (iii) demonstrates the formation of antibodies to alpha-hydroxyethyl-derived protein adducts after chronic alcohol ingestion in vivo. The findings may have implications in the identification of chronic alcohol abuse and the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced organ damage.

Acetaldehyde↗
PubMed1994

[Dermatomyositis and eclampsia. Analysis of a case and review of the literature].

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology whose association to pregnancy is uncommon. The impact of dermatomyositis with uncomplicated pregnancy while active is very high for the fetus without major maternal consequences. The monitoring of cases with pregnancy associated hypertension and dermatomyositis, must be performed independently for the mother and the fetus, since fetal prognosis is usually bad and does not modify with treatment. The case presented herein is to our knowledge the first with eclampsia and dermatomyositis which ended in a normal product delivered and the mother decreased.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A method combining immunocapture and PCR amplification in a microtiter plate for the detection of plant viruses and subviral pathogens.

A method for the detection of RNA viral and subviral plant pathogens was developed that combines pathogen partial purification by solid-phase adsorbed antibodies, reverse transcriptional-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitation of the amplified products by fluorescence. The reverse transcription of the RNA is performed directly on the retained material without any previous thermal or chemical disruption of the virus particles. The whole procedure can be carried out in a microtiter plate. Its validity has been successfully confirmed for the detection of bean yellow mosaic virus, cherry leafroll virus, cucumber mosaic virus, citrus tristeza virus, grapevine fanleaf virus, potato leafroll virus, pepper mild mottle virus, and tomato spotted wilt virus, as well as the satellite RNA of cucumber mosaic virus and potato spindle tuber viroid. In this procedure virus-specific antibodies can be replaced by monoclonal antibodies against double-stranded RNA, thus offering the possibility of detection when no specific virus antibodies are available, or immunological methods are difficult to use (i.e., subviral pathogens like satellite-RNAs or viroids). The method described has the typical sensitivity of assays based on the polymerase chain reaction, it is not more laborious than ELISA, and an equivalent degree of automation is possible.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1993

Simple method for the preparation of antigen emulsions for immunization.

We have developed a rapid, safe, and reliable method to prepare emulsions of water-soluble antigens in an adjuvant oil phase for immunization purposes. The method, based on well established emulsification principles, employs a three-way 'T' connector to which three disposable syringes are attached. The system allows the stepwise addition of small volumes of the water phase, into the oil phase. We have compared the time required for emulsification, the rate of antigen release from the emulsion into a physiological phase, and the immunogenic properties of bovine serum albumin and transferrin contained in emulsions made by the new stepwise addition method, with those made by the widely used double-hubbed needle method. We report a significantly shorter (P < 0.001) and a more reproducible emulsification time for the stepwise addition method (6.1 +/- 2.1 min; mean +/- SD) than for the double-hubbed needle method (41.1 +/- 28.0 min). The stepwise addition method always yielded water-in-oil emulsions, while the double-hubbed needle method failed, about 20% of the time, to produce a water-in-oil emulsion after 120 min of mixing. Since the stepwise addition method employs a connector with a larger inner diameter (1.75 mm) than the one required for the double-hubbed needle method (0.84 mm); the pressure required for the former is markedly reduced compared with that required for the latter, thus making the new method safer and less labor-intensive. The rate of antigen release from the emulsions was significantly slower when the stepwise addition method was employed (P < 0.01). There were no differences in viscosity and stability in the emulsions prepared by the two methods. The ability of antigen-containing emulsions to elicit an immune response was found to be identical by the two methods; no significant differences were found in antibody titers as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. These characteristics make the stepwise addition system the method of choice.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1993

Atrial fibrillation: new management strategies.

The main goal of therapy in atrial fibrillation is to restore sinus rhythm, if this is possible, to avoid adverse hemodynamic, electrical, and embolic consequences. The restoration of sinus rhythm is urgent if the patient is unstable. In a stable patient, if the duration is shorter than 48 hours and an atrial thrombus is unlikely, then sinus rhythm can be restored after initial rate control. If the duration of atrial fibrillation is more than 48 hours, the embolic risk may be significant, and anticoagulation will be required for 2 to 4 weeks before an attempt at cardioversion. In patients in whom sinus rhythm cannot be restored or maintained, the goal of therapy is rate control and reduction of embolic risk unless the risk of anticoagulation outweighs its benefit. In difficult cases, rate control may be accomplished with AV nodal ablation and pacemaker implantation or with one of the surgical procedures described above with varying degrees of normalization of the physiology. Although not included in this flow chart, we do not advocate episodic intermittent therapy for patients with infrequent episodes of atrial fibrillation because this could be potentially dangerous and may place the patient at a higher risk for developing proarrhythmia.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗